Manila Standard - 2020 February 2 - Sunday by Manila Standard

AUCTION OF CHEVRON DEAL EYED

By Darwin G. Amojelar

VOL. XXXIII • NO. 353 • 4 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

THE Department of Finance said it might bid out the new lease agreement for Batangas Land Co. Inc. as the government plans to terminate the allegedly onerous contract with Chevron Philippines. The move of Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III to bid out the

OCAL government units have been called up to adopt tough measures to prevent the spread of the now declared world emergency which has killed at least 259 and infected nearly 12,000 in China alone.

This developed as two military facilities are being considered for quarantine, more flights to China being canceled, and a two-week quarantine in schools strongly proposed. Health officials said they visited the naval station on Caballo Island at the mouth of Manila Bayu on Friday and were scheduled to visit the Drug Rehabilitation in Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija during the weekend. But Dr. Bu Castro, spokesperson of the

DESERTED STREET.

An empty street in Beijing on Saturday, as China faces deepening isolation following the coronavirus epidemic that originated in Wuhan, Hubei. AFP

Turn to A2

CHINA FACES ISOLATION AMID TRAVEL BANS

LGUS MOBILIZED VS. NCOV SPREAD By Francisco Tuyay, MJ Blancaflor, Maricel V. Cruz and Joel E. Zurbano

new lease contract for BLCI as well as reviewing all government contracts with private companies aims, according to him, to protect taxpayers and ordinary Filipinos from onerous provisions of these transactions that subvert the common good. He also assured the business community that while the government

Philippine Hospital Association of the Philippines said local hospitals were ready to handle the nCoV virus. Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Saturday ordered local government executives to adopt the ironclad measures to intensify the information campaign on the virus and report possible contamination in their respective areas. Promotion of health In Memorandum Circular 2020-018, Turn to A2

CHINA faced deepening isolation on Saturday over its coronavirus epidemic as the death toll soared to 259, with the United States and Australia leading a growing list of nations to impose extraordinary Chinese travel bans. With Britain, Russia and Sweden among the countries confirming their first infections, the virus has now spread to more than two dozen nations, sending governments scurrying to limit their exposure. The United States toughened its stance Friday by declaring a national emergency, temporarily barring entry to foreigners who had been in China within the past two weeks. “Foreign nationals, other than immediate family of US citizens and permanent residents, who have traveled in China within the last 14 days will be denied entry into the United States,” Health Secretary Alex Azar said. Australia said it was barring entry to non-citizens arriving from China, while Australian citizens who had traveled there would be required to go into “self-isolation” for two weeks. Similar steps have been taken by countries including Italy, Singapore, and China’s northern neighbor Mongolia. The United States, Japan, Britain, Germany and other nations already had advised their citizens not to travel to China. ‘Unkind’ Beijing, which insists it can contain the virus, began to show impatience over the growing ostracism, with the foreign ministry calling Washington’s earlier advice against travel to China “unkind”. “Certainly it is not a gesture of goodwill,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said. The US emergency declaration also requires Americans returning from the ground zero Chinese province of Hubei to be placed in mandatory 14-day quarantine, and health screening for US citizens coming from other parts of China. Turn to A2

ASF OUTBREAK SPREADS TO MINDANAO TOWN

NEWS A3

VACCINE WON'T BE READY BY MID-2020

WHERE THERE’S SMOKE...

Part of Skyway Stage 3, an infrastructure project under construction in Pandacan, Manila, collapses Saturday following a major fire that gutted Saturday a warehouse for plastic containers nearby. San Miguel Corporation assured reconstruction and rebulding will resume at the “soonest possible time.”

NEWS B3

TAAL VOLCANO SWAYS IN HARMONIC TREMOR

NEWS A3 twitter.com/ MlaStandard

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CHINA..

From A1

The virus emerged in early December and has been traced to a market in Hubei’s capital Wuhan that sold wild animals. The number of infections in China also rose, by 2,102, bringing the nationwide total to 11,791. That’s despite unprecedented quarantine measures imposed last week on millions of people in Hubei and aggressive preventive steps elsewhere in the country. It spread globally on the wings of a Lunar New Year holiday rush that sees hundreds of millions of Chinese people travel domestically and overseas. Mea culpa With public anger mounting in China, Wuhan’s top official admitted late Friday that authorities there had acted too slowly. “If strict control measures had been taken earlier the result would have been better than now,” Ma Guoqiang, the Communist Party chief for Wuhan, told state media. Ma said he was “in a state of guilt, remorse and self-reproach”. Wuhan officials have been criticized online for withholding information about the outbreak until late December despite knowing of it weeks earlier. China finally lurched into action more than a week ago, effectively quarantining whole cities in Hubei and tens of millions of people. Unprecedented safeguards have also been imposed nationwide include extending the holiday, postponing school restarts and tight health screening on travelers nationwide. But the toll keeps mounting at an ever-increasing pace, with health authorities on Saturday saying 46 more people had died in the preceding 24 hours, all but one in Hubei. Another 2,102 new infections also were confirmed, bringing the total to nearly 12,000 far higher than the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome outbreak of 2002-03. SARS, which is caused by a pathogen similar to the new coronavirus and also originated in China, killed 774 people worldwide, most of them in China or Hong Kong. The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a global emergency on Thursday but did not advise international trade or travel restrictions. But three US airlines American, Delta and United said they would soon suspend all flights to China. Airlines cancel flights The requirement of people arriving in Australia from Hubei province to“selfisolate” for 14 days was expanded from Saturday to include anyone traveling from mainland China. Australia’s foreign ministry also updated its travel advice for China to “do not travel.” Qantas Airways, Australia’s flag carrier, said earlier Saturday it would suspend its two direct flights to mainland China Sydney to Beijing and Shanghai from Feb. 9 because of various virus-linked international restrictions. Air New Zealand followed suit, announcing a suspension of its AucklandShanghai service from Feb. 9. Vietnam has also suspended all China flights as part of “strengthening measures” against the coronavirus outbreak, its civil aviation authority said in a statement on Saturday. The directive applies to all airlines “which have routes between Vietnam and China” and is effective from Saturday, it added. Vietnam Airlines, the country’s national carrier, and budget airline Jetstar Pacific said they would stop flying to mainland China along with Hong Kong and Taiwan. An AFP correspondent on a flight from Taiwan to Vietnam was among 98 passengers told to disembark just as the announcement went public. “The decision is ridiculous and unacceptable,” Vietnamese tourist Doan Thi Ngoc Diep told AFP after leaving the plane. At the same time, Apple announced on Saturday the closure of its stores, corporate offices and contact centers in mainland China until Feb. 9 due to the new coronavirus epidemic. Lunar year extended The virus has prompted the government extend the Lunar New Year holiday through this weekend in a bid to contain its spread, but many provinces and cities have called on companies to delay their return to work. “Our thoughts are with the people most immediately affected by the coronavirus and with those working around the clock to study and contain it,” Apple said in a statement. It added the closure was decided “out of an abundance of caution and based on the latest advice from leading health experts”. Apple’s online store remains open and the company said it would closely monitor the situation. AFP

LGUS..

From A1

Año cited a provision in the Constitution and the Local Government Code which provides that local government units are in charge of the promotion of health and safety within their jurisdictions. As such, they must take the lead in the prevention and control of the coronavirus at the local level, he said. The order followed confirmation by the Department of Health of the first nCoV patient in the Philippines, prompting government agencies and the private sector to adopt precautionary measures to prevent contagion. “We need to be preventive now that there is a confirmed 2019 nCoV case in the country. Our governors, city and municipal mayors and DILG regional directors must ensure that the coronavirus will not thrive in their backyards,” Año said. On Wednesday, the DOH reported that a 38-year-old Chinese woman who traveled from Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the virus, had been infected with the nCoV and was currently quarantined at the government-run San Lazaro Hospital in Manila. At the same time, private hospitals have been reminded they are not allowed to refuse or discriminate against Chinese nationals and patients suspected of the disease, the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc. said Saturday. In an interview on Dobol B sa News TV aired on GMA News TV and beamed nationwide, PHAPi president Dr. Rustico Jimenez urged the public to report to the association or the Department of Health private hospitals that refuse to treat or accord immediate medical attention to any patient. On Friday, the DOH said big hospitals in the country were not allowed to turn away patients exhibiting symptoms of nCoV. ‘Don’t turn away patients’ “They are being reminded that they can’t turn away patients because of suspected nCoV ... they have to treat them and manage them within the facility,” Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo told a news briefing. Meanwhile, Malacañang appealed to the public to remain calm and avoid discriminatory behavior against foreigners amid threats of the nCoV. Martin Andanar, secretary of Presidential Communications Operations Office, urged Filipinos not to sow fear-mongering and misinformation following reports of discriminatory behavior against Chinese citizens and the surge of misleading information about nCoV. “As the issue of a viral outbreak affects everyone, let us not engage in discriminatory behavior, nor act with any bias towards our fellowmen. The reality is every one is susceptible to the virus,”Andanar said in a statement. “We should not let fear turn us against one another, especially if these fears are unfounded. We must not stigmatize people, especially when they are at their most vulnerable, but emphatize with them instead,” he added. Andanar also asked the traders not to hoard face masks amid reports of shortage. “We ask the public not to hoard face masks and create an unneccesary scarcity, that may prevent others from taking precautionary measures to protect themselves,” he said. Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo himself earlier warned traders hoarding masks that they would be raided by the Philippine National Police, saying they should not take advantage of the situation. Panelo also said manufacturers should produce more face masks recommended by health experts as a

AUCTION... From A1 was undertaking this review, the process would be fully transparent and would “follow the law to the letter.” “That [BLCI] lease is about to expire and that’s why they came to us for renewal and we said we don’t want to renew. They said, well we still own 40 percent of the company, in that case we will close the company. And we will pay you, we will pay you and we are allowed to close the company after 25 years,” Dominguez said. ‘We are following the law to the letter. We have not terminated that contract …. We are just saying, we are not going to renew it, we are going to buy you out of that contract, buy you out

protection against the virus. Government response In Congress, Rep. Ronnie Ong of Ang Probinsyano Party-list said government response on the NCoV outbreak was chaotic and the command-and-control mechanism was not quickly established, thereby causing delays in the implementation of counter-measures especially in the country’s ports and airports. He said this also contributed a lot in the ensuing public panic primarily caused by the surge of what he called fake news and exaggerated information spreading through social media and other information platforms. “Our experience with the NCoV should serve as a wake-up call and prompt the creation of an established protocol that is proactive and can be activated automatically at the slightest hint of a disease outbreak,” Ong said. This developed as Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said President Rodrigo Duterte’s order banning the entry of Chinese nationals from Hubei Province “is patently superfluous.” “The subject area has earlier been on lockdown or placed on quarantine by Chinese authorities preventing the exit of people,” Lagman said. “What is imperative is to ban flights to and from the entire Chinese mainland, including Hong Kong,” Lagman said He added the health and safety of Filipinos must be paramount over diplomatic niceties, tourism revenues, and income of Philippine airline companies. The ban must also include the arrival of Chinese nationals and other tourists from China in cruise ships and other vessels, Lagman added. Subic joins checkpoints Northwest of Manila, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority has announced that foreign tourists in Subic found to be showing symptoms, such as high fever, cough, or colds, would be sent back to their countries. SBMA Administrator Wilma Eisma made the announcement on Friday, days after transport terminals in Subic Bay were placed on heightened alert status as part of the drastic measures against the 2019-nCoV. Eisma said the Bureau of Quarantine and the Regional Epidemiological Surveillance Unit would serve as lead government agencies that will monitor foreign nationals who want to visit Subic. “We will be instituting controls at Tipo, Rizal, Magsaysay, 14th and Kalaklan gates, with the Bureau of Quarantine and Regional Epidemiological Surveillance Unit as lead agencies,” Eisma said in a statement. “All foreign nationals will be subject to temperature check and physical observation for cough or colds. All who are positive for high temperature, cough, or colds will be sent back and not allowed entry.” The heightened alert status recently imposed by the SBMA covers both seaports and an airport in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, which regularly hosts cruise ships plying the Southeast Asian route. In Baguio City, the Philippine Military Academy is implementing precautionary measures against the possible spread of the virus by temporarily prohibiting tourists from entering the facility until the third week of February. Maj. Reynan Afan, acting chief of the PMA public affairs office, said the academy is now only allowing relatives of the 1,100 cadets to enter the premises but only after having been checked by staff of PMA station hospital.

of your share in the company,’ he said. “You wanna bid? You’re free to do it. But don’t take advantage of us for another 25 years. You already had 44 years of a good time. Enough is enough,” Dominguez added. Dominguez said the government had committed no violation because, rather than pre-terminate the contract with Chevron, it had merely decided to close down in 2021 the company that is the second party to the deal. This is the legal option exercised by the government to put an end to the onerous provisions in the contract, he added. The onerous provisions of Chevron’s lease contract for the use of the 120-hectare industrial park in San Pascual, Batangas came to the DOF’s attention because the firm had asked for a renewal of the agreement.

Reduced flights In the country’s airports, two major airlines in the Philippines have started reducing flights to and from China this February until March. “In the public interest, beginning February 1, 2020, we are reducing our flights between Manila and Greater China by over 50 percent,” said Philippine Airlines spokesperson Cielo Villaluna in a statement. She added “There is a need to maintain a number of our flights on the various Manila-China routes, so that we can serve the urgent travel needs of our passengers, including many Chinese nationals returning to the mainland following their Lunar New Year holidays, and Filipinos who are returning home from their stays in China.” The affected PAL flights include those to and from Xiamen, Jinjiang, Beijing, Shanghai, Pudong, Macau, Guangzhou and Hong Kong. Villaluna clarified that all other Manila-China, and China-Manila flights were still operational. “Nonetheless, we expect that we will need to further reduce our China flights in the coming weeks, based on our daily assessment of the situation and subject to guidelines and instructions from the Department of Health and Bureau of Quarantine and concerned government authorities,” she said. PAL urged clients to continue to check advisories in the coming weeks for any further changes. It stated that rebooking and rerouting are allowed for travel until June 30, 2020 with penalties waived. The Cebu Pacific Air, meanwhile, announced it would be canceling all flights between the Philippines and mainland China Beijing, Shanghai, Xiamen, Guangzhou, Shenzen from Feb. 2 to March 29, 2020. It also stated that flights between the Philippines, Hong Kong and Macau, on the other hand, had been reduced. The two airlines earlier confirmed that the 38-year old woman tested positive for novel coronavirus took their flights. Flight trail The woman took CEB connecting flights Hong Kong to Cebu and Cebu to Dumaguete on Jan. 21, and took a PAL flight from Dumaguete to Manila on Jan. 25. “We are in the process of contacting passengers seated in the vicinity of the positive NCoV patient and are taking the necessary precautions to inform them so they can have themselves checked in case they show flulike symptoms,” the CEB management said in an earlier statement. The CEB cabin crew and pilots on affected flights have also been informed but have shown no symptoms of illness. The aircraft used for the two connecting flights have been pulled out of the line and are undergoing thorough disinfection. PAL, on the other hand, said earlier it was in close coordination with the government to locate and contact other passengers of the said flight “in accordance with established safety protocols for dealing with a case of this nature.” The airline management immediately provided the concerned agencies with the necessary flight manifest data of the flight. The Quarantine bureau will take charge of placing the concerned passengers and crew under medical observation. The PAL management also placed the flight crew two pilots and four cabin crew on quarantine.

“We reaffirm Philippine Airlines’ constant readiness to promote the safety of our passengers and crew in compliance with the highest international public health standards,” it stated. At the same time, direct Hong Kong flights to and from Iloilo province will be canceled from Feb. 4 to March 29 to contain the spread of the nCoV, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said. Meanwhile, the flights from Iloilo to Singapore and vice versa stay. Singapore to Iloilo flights are on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Hong Kong and Singapore have confirmed nCoV cases. Although the Cebu Pacific Air maintains its Singapore and Iloilo flights, officials gave assurances precautionary measures were being done at the Iloilo International Airport to prevent the entry of infected passengers. Passengers monitored “We have close monitoring in all arriving passengers. There are two thermal scanners used by the Bureau of Quarantine-Iloilo to detect feverish passengers,” he said. Advisories in preventing the virus are also posted at the airport and face masks are distributed to the front liners. On Thursday, Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. has sought the Cebu Pacific Air’s temporary cessation of international flights to protect the province from the virus. The move was backed by Iloilo’s local chief executives through a resolution calling for the cancellation of flights. Meanwhile, Ro-Ann Bacal, regional director of the National Economic and Development Authority in Western Visayas, said the cancellation of Iloilo to Hong Kong flights might have a short-term impact on the region. “There will be an impact on the establishments that cater to these visitors, hotels, restaurants, transportation but it might be better for us to protect our citizens from potential danger because it will be more expensive for us when it comes to the region. It will be very expensive and it might even more devastating,” she said in an interview Friday. These were developing during the weekend as several universities in Manila advised their students and faculty members to undergo a two-week selfquarantine if they had traveled abroad amid fears of nCoV. Ateneo de Manila University, Far Eastern University, Polytechnic University of the Philippines and Adamson University have recommended their students and school personnel to take a leave from class or work, if they had come from countries which recorded cases of nCoV or if they exhibit symptoms of flu. University apologizes WThe memorandum also asked Chinese citizens to hold off conducting transactions with the university. The university clarified on Saturday that all students and faculty members who traveled to and from countries with confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus should practice self-quarantine. “This Memorandum modifies the previous one released, and we apologize for the misimpression it may have created,” Adamson University said. The Geneva-based World Health Organization has declared the spread of nCoV as a global emergency, with 18 countries confirming cases of the deadly virus. The vast majority of the cases detected globally have been in China where the virus originated in an illegal

While the National Development Co. eventually decided to close down BLCI next year to enable the government to take back the property in Batangas and get better terms for it, Dominguez said NDC has assured Chevron that it would be fully compensated for the 40-percent shares it owns in BLCI. Dominguez said the decision to close down BLCI is a valid legal option that the government had opted to exercise to protect the interests of government and the Filipino taxpayers. He said at the forum that among the onerous provisions of the lease contract was the renewal of the agreement in 2010 based on the old valuation of the property in 1975 equivalent to 74 centavos per square meter when the current market value should be about P18.00 per sq. m.

Under the terms of its lease contract with BLCI, Chevron has been paying a miniscule rental fee to the government for the 1.2-million sq. m. industrial park in San Pascual, Batangas that it uses as an oil import terminal. At P10.66 million per year since 2010, the rent Chevron has been shelling out is only around 4 percent of the P257.76 million per year that current fair market rental rates in the area would suggest. Based on documents submitted to the NDC Board, the rentals paid by Chevron over the 44-year period covering 1975 to 2019 amounted to only P146.51 million or a measly P3 million per year, in addition to real property taxes paid by Chevron under the lease agreement. This property’s current market value is estimated at about P4.9 billion to P5.3 billion.

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SHABU SHIPMENTS SEIZED NEAR NAIA

CRACKDOWN.

Philippine National Police Chief Archie Gamboa leads the destruction of several video karera machines at the QCPD Headquarters in Camp Karingal, Sikatuna Village, Quezon City following an order to crack down on all forms of illegal gambling and even prostitution dens in Quezon City. Manny Palmero

TAAL VOLCANO SWAYS IN ‘HARMONIC TREMOR’ By Joel Zurbano VOLCANOLOGISTS on Saturday recorded another “harmonic tremor” or rhythmic shaking associated with magma movement from Taal Volcano in the past 24 hours. Taal Volcano remains under Alert Level 3 but signs of a hazardous eruption persist, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said. The harmonic tremor lasted 3 minutes, PHIVOLCS said. Taal also recorded a 97-second harmonic tremor on Jan. 30, signs that magma continued to rise toward the surface of the volcano. Taal Volcano has recorded a total of 182 volcanic earthquakes, including the three-minute harmonic tremor and one low-frequency event in the last 24 hours, PHIVOLCS said. Since the volano’s eruption last month, Mayors in the National Capital Region continued to send relief assistance. The local chief executives in cooperation with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and the Metro Manila Mayors Spouses Foundation Inc., brought the recent relief donations to the Municipality of Balayan in Batangas. Truckloads of goods were distributed in Balayan West Central School used as evacuation center for the affected families. Included in the relief packs are food, water, hygiene kits, slippers, face masks, toys and mats. There are also cooking utensils for the evacuation centers.

MASKED DONOR.

People queue up to receive free protective masks being distributed by a medical supplies store in Manila on Jan. 31, 2020. The Philippines reported its first case of the virus on Jan. 30, of a 38-year-old woman who arrived from Wuhan. AFP

ASF OUTBREAK SPREADS TO MINDANAO TOWN T HE African swine fever has spread to a town in Mindanao six months after an outbreak was declared in Luzon, the town’s chief executive said in an order.

The municipal government of Don Marcelino, Davao Occidental in a Jan. 31, 2019 order confirmed that about 1,000 pigs have died of ASF in several barangays, namely: Linadasan, North Lamidan, South Lamidan, Calian, Mabuhay, Lawa, Nueva Villa, and Baluntaya. Mayor Michael Maruya of Don Marcelino town ordered the police, barangay officials, and other concerned agencies to make sure that animal quarantine checkpoints are in place 24/7. A temporary lockdown has been recommended by the regional agriculture office and the provincial veterinarian. The ASF outbreak hit the Philippines in July last year, spreading to several cities in Metro Manila and some provinces in Luzon, including Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Cavite, Tarlac and Bataan. Late last year, Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero ordered goods found in a container shipment at the Manila International Container Port destroyed after the goods tested positive for ASF. The Office of the Collector in MICP also issued an alert order for the other shipments consigned to a company which maintains its warehouse in Kawit, Cavite. Customs lawyers are readying the filing of a criminal case against

the company and will recommend for the revocation of its brokers’ licenses. “Given the circumstances [Wuhan coronavirus) we have today, every entry point in the country must be on its toes to stop any viruses or bacteria from getting to our shores. Our mandate is to protect our people and that’s what we intend to do,” Guerrero said. Last Wednesday, the authorities found out that the imported products are contaminated by ASF, a highly contagious viral disease endemic in domestic and wild pigs. The examination was witnessed by the Bureau of Animal Industry, the National Meat Inspection Service, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, the Customs Enforcement and Security Service, and CIIS. Dr. Reynaldo Quilang, chief of Veterinary Quarantine Services-MICP, made the recommendation that all contents of the container be condemned and buried at the importer’s warehouse compound. “This is a message to all importers. We are not going to tolerate misdeclared goods or the importation of food products that will put our industries in jeopardy. We’ve already lost so much because of the swine flu. Our ports are not open for more of these products,” Guerrero said.

Imported meat products will be allowed in the country if the importers have secured Phyto-Sanitary Permit from the port of origin, otherwise the meat will be confiscated, and will be condemned. The prohibitions extended to bringing in plant and animal products without Sanitary and PhytoSanitary Permits. ASF is spread easily between members of the swine family through direct contact with the infected animal or contaminated objects such as vehicles and equipment. Although it cannot be transmitted to humans, global meat production has declined after an outbreak of African swine flu in many parts of the world. In October last year, at least 13 provinces in the Philippines have declared an ASF outbreak, prompting local governments to stop the selling of pork in markets, restaurants, and fastfood chains. The Malasiqui local government in Pangasinan on Friday declared a state of calamity because of the effects of ASF on its hog raisers. It is estimated that the country’s hog industry is losing $20 million a month from the outbreak of swine flu. ASF kills hogs in as fast as seven days after being infected. In September and October 2018, cases of pork meat products contamination have been recorded in Korea and Japan through dumplings and hotdogs products.

GOVERNMENT agents seized outbound shipments of shabu and valium tablets valued at P600,000 in a warehouse near the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Customs-NAIA operatives, in close coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, and NAIA Interagency Drug Interdiction Task Group, intercepted five parcel shipments containing 71.6 grams of shabu and 97 tablets of Valium in a warehouse on Friday. Three of the packages contained more than 70 grams of shabu hidden inside a book and pieces of papers, and set to be delivered in Israel, while another seven grams worth P47,600 was found inside “mini speakers” bound for Papua New Guinea. The two other parcel delivery contained three grams of shabu concealed inside two boxer briefs, and 97 tablets of Valium found in pieces of papers, both bound for the United States. Authorities are now investigating the owners and consignees of the six packages and will be the subjects of profiling by the PDEA. The Customs-NAIA made the seizure a week after it intercepted various cargo parcels containing liquid marijuana worth P700,000 at different warehouses situated also near the Manila airport. The seized items—a total of 11 packages containing 330 cartridges of liquid marijuana—arrived from various countries on separate dates late last year. Joel E. Zurbano

FIRE EATS UP SMC WAREHOUSE; ROAD CONNECTOR DAMAGED A HUGE fire engulfed a warehouse of San Miguel Corp. in Pandacan, Manila Saturday around 10:38 a.m., while a portion of the SLEX-NLEX connector nearby collapsed. The damage was placed at P15 millon. The warehouse on Tomas Claudio Street was filled with plastic pallets, probers said. The fire reached Task Force Bravo at 11:05 a.m., prompting even more firetrucks to respond. The Philippine National Railways also sent firetrucks to help put out the fire. PNR said its rail tracks were not affected by the fire, which was finally placed under control at 1:53 p.m.

SMC warehouse in Pandacan, Manila was razed by fire, damaging P15 million worth of assets. Norman Cruz

PNP: TOUGH, SMART COPS TO SEE ACTION IN MINDANAO

THE Philippine National Police is looking into deploying tough but smart police officers in Mindanao, reversing the old practice of assigning scalawags in uniform to the troubled island. Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, PNP deputy chief for operations, said new measure is also crucial in the implementation of the peace agreement that President Rodrigo Duterte helped pushed and realized with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. “In the past three years, the security landscape here has significantly improved despite some challenges. And it will continue to drastically change now that President Duterte has set the good mood for peaceful and economicallydeveloped Mindanao with the peace agreement with the MILF and the establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region,” Eleazar said in a copy of

his speech during his visit at the headquarters of the Zamboanga Peninsula Regional Police Office on Jan. 28. The practice of sending erring cops to Mindanao is now being addressed by the PNP leadership through its internal cleansing program. “With the aggressive internal cleansing initiated by our Chief PNP, Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa, for instance, the PNP leadership is making sure that if you commit offenses, you have nowhere else to go, but be meted out with appropriate punishments as quickly as possible. So the challenge now is to fill Mindanao with both the toughest and the brightest policemen in order to sustain what the President has started to achieve a long-overdue Filipino dream of peaceful and progressive Mindanao,” he added.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2020

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EMIL JURADO’S MEMOIRS

‘THE ROAD NEVER ENDS’

By Peter Paul Duran

UMINARIES in politics, business and media graced the launching of “The Road Never Ends,” the autobiography of lawyer, journalist and longtime Manila Standard columnist Emil Jurado, held Thursday, January 30, at the Manila Golf and Country Club in Makati City.

The VIPs were led by former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and former Vice President Jejomar Binay. Jurado, 92, is also chairman emeritus of the Manila Standard editorial board. He has been a practicing journalist for almost 70 years. House Majority Floor Leader, Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez of the first district of Leyte,

said their family, especially his late father, had a close relationship with Jurado—whom he fondly calls “Manong Emil”—“since their 365 Club days.” Jurado has acknowledged Romualdez for his help in publishing the book. “We feel he deserves all the support in the undertaking of his autobiography,”the lawmaker said.

Other personalities in attendance were Senators Nancy Binay and Francis Tolentino, Dennis Valdes, George Yang, Tessie Sy-Coson, Rosemarie “Baby” Arenas, Rachel Arenas, Eric Canoy, Edgard Cabangon Chua, Felipe Gozon, F. Sionil Jose, Fr. Rocky Evangelista, Reli German, Tony Lopez, General Joe Almonte, former Rep. Rene Diaz, and former Sandiganbayan Justice Roland Jurado. “(This book) has been long overdue,” said PR guru German, adding that it is “a chronicle of history from the eyes of a veteran journalist.” German was Jurado’s student when the former was still in high school at Ateneo de Manila University. Lawyer and corporate execu-

tive Mike Toledo hosted the event. In a heartfelt speech, Jurado thanked friends, family, and all who attended the launch. “I’m very happy a lot of them came, and I thank all of them, I am honored by their presence,” said Jurado. “I did not expect too many people, and this makes this moment special to me.” According to Jurado, journalism is a calling rather than a profession, a path where one cannot aspire to be a multi-billionaire. The satisfaction at knowing that one makes a difference, however, is priceless and cannot be found in other careers. “We take comfort in the fact that we are not after money. We want to advocate change,”he said.

PHOTOS BY VER NOVENO AND NORMAN CRUZ

Jurado with former President Gloria Arroyo and Rosemarie Arenas

Jurado with House Majority Floor Leader Martin Romualdez

Jurado flanked by former Vice President Jejomar Binay and Arroyo The author, Manila Standard columnist and chairman emeritus of the editorial board Emil Jurado

Carrion, Binay, Maribel Dario, and Senator Nancy Binay

Jurado with Senator Francis Tolentino

Jurado with SM Investments Corp. vice chairperson Tessie Sy-Coson

Romualdez with members of the Manila Standard family

Joe Magno, Rachel Arenas, Bing Carrion, Ning Jurado, Maribel Dario, and Manila Standard columnist Tony Lopez

Jurado’s former student and PR guru Reli German

King Dycalco, Pearl Ortega, Vic Ortega, Bobby Suarez, Ning Jurado , Panch Suarez, Marian Suarez, Abet Suarez, Gina Dycalco and Lia Apostol

Mr. Sreedhar, Romualdez, Florence Arabpour, and Shanti Sreedhar

Edgar Cabangon-Chua and Sharon Tan

GMA Network Inc. chairman Felipe Gozon and Philex Mining senior vice president Michael Toledo

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2020

Opinion

Adelle Chua, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

NOVEL ON MIGRANTS IGNITES LITERARY CONTROVERSY

EDITORIAL

BASIC PROTECTION

S IF the coronavirus that originated in China and which has now spread to several countries were not bad enough, people also have to contend with a slew of information that confounds and fans fear about the virus. The BBC has compiled the various attempts at misinformation that has likewise spread to many countries, facilitated by the Internet. Among them are: False health advice, shared by many social media users, have circulated the Internet and included valid and non-valid suggestions on how to cure or prevent the disease. Keeping the throat moist, avoiding spicy food or cold/preserved

food and drinks for 90 days, and drinking garlic water are among these supposedly helpful steps. However, the World Health Organizations’s only official advice is for people to avoid consuming raw or undercooked animal products, as there is no vaccine yet for this kind of virus. Some videos have also attempted to show the origin of the virus—the con-

sumption of bat soup in China. Others suggest the virus has been known for years, and that the current outbreak has been deliberately manufactured to attract funds for the development of a vaccine. Other posts hint that the virus is part of a biological weapons program of China, even quoting a supposed Israeli military intelligence officer. Yet another post linked the virus to a supposed policy breach at a laboratory in Canada, where a researcher—reported to have gone to a biosafety facility in Wuhan several times—had been suspended. The researcher and her husband were said to have been a “spy team.” A supposed whistleblower video showed a woman in a protective suit

By Laura Bonilla

making claims about the virus, for instance, that it has had a second mutation which can infect up to 14 individuals. Efforts to fact check all these claims are under way and should be aggressively pushed as the search for a cure to the virus. In the meantime, amid our collective anxiety and fear for our and our loved ones’ health, we need only to keep the basics in mind. Regularly washing our hands, covering hands and mouth when sneezing or coughing, and staying home when there is no urgent need to go out. Add to that being discerning about the information we receive, believe and pass along, ensuring that we do not fan speculation, and relying only on official statements and credible sources.

HAILED by luminaries such as Stephen King and Oprah Winfrey, "American Dirt" was touted as the next "great American novel," bought for a seven-figure advance, backed by aggressive marketing and launched last week to great fanfare in both English and Spanish. Instead of glory, however, author Jeanine Cummins finds herself at the heart of a cultural maelstrom, accused by some of exploiting the tragedy of Mexican migrants in a US election year and of validating stereotypes such as those used by President Donald Trump to fuel his anti-immigration rhetoric. The book tells the story of a Mexican woman who owns a bookshop and flees on the notoriously dangerous cargo train known as "The Beast" that migrants ride to the north. She also survives the slaughter of almost her entire family by drug traffickers at a traditional birthday celebration. The book's publication has generated intense debate about cultural appropriation, the marginalization of Hispanic authors by US publishers, the dangers of spreading misrepresentations and the responsible limits of fiction. The firestorm took publisher Flatiron Books by surprise, and on Wednesday they canceled Cummins' planned tour of US book stores. "Based on specific threats to booksellers and the author, we believe there exists real peril to their safety," said publisher Bob Miller in a statement.

'EXPLOITATIVE'

Horror supremo King described the book as "marvelous" and author Don Winslow compared it to the Steinbeck classic "The Grapes of Wrath." It is already being adapted for Hollywood. But more than 120 writers, including Mexico's leading novelist Valeria Luiselli and chicana author Myriam Gurba, whose withering review sparked the debate, have signed a letter calling on Oprah not to feature "American Dirt" in her book club, which has historically been a gateway to massive sales. "This is not a letter calling for silencing, nor censoring," said the writers, who called the novel "exploitative." "But in a time of widespread misinformation, fearmongering, and white-supremacist propaganda related to immigration and to our border, in a time when adults and children are dying in US immigration cages, we believe that a novel blundering so badly in its depiction of marginalized, oppressed people should not be lifted up," the letter went on to say. Mexican actress Salma Hayek put out a selfie of herself with the book, unaware of the controversy erupting around it, then quickly apologized for promoting it. Photos that Cummins herself posted of a lobster luncheon for the book launch, featuring floral arrangements wreathed with barbed wire—a nod to the book's cover— did little to help. "Border chic," said Gurba on Twitter. "Cruel" and "insensitive," said the authors in their letter to Oprah.

'IGNORANCE AND NEGLIGENCE'

"This is a book that oversimplifies Mexico, uses bad Spanish, and in which the protagonist, a Mexican woman, does things that don't make any sense for a Mexican," said Ignacio Sanchez Prado, a professor of Latin American studies at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. An expert on Mexico, he told AFP he did not believe that only Mexicans can write about the Mexican experience but said that Cummins "did it badly." He also laid the most blame on the "editorial process," lashing out at Flatiron's "ignorance and negligence." The author of the book, who describes herself as white but also "Latinx" because she has a Puerto Rican grandmother, has not alluded to the controversy in her posts on social media but told The New York Times "there is a danger sometimes of going too far toward silencing people." "No one intends to censor Ms. Cummins," said Daniel Olivas, author of a collection of poems about the US-Mexico border, and one of the signatories of the protest letter sent to Oprah. "But the promotion of this book as the 'Great American Novel' and 'a dazzling accomplishment' of John Steinbeck proportions is simply galling when so many brilliant Latinx writers are given a mere fraction of such attention and monetary compensation," he said. Flatiron did not respond to an AFP request for comment on the controversy and an interview with the author. The publishers said in a statement they were "proud" of the book, but Miller acknowledged that the controversy "has exposed deep inadequacies in how we at Flatiron Books address issues of representation." "We made serious mistakes in the way we rolled out this book," Miller admitted. The concerns that have been raised, including the question of who gets to tell which stories, are valid ones in relation to literature and we welcome the conversation," his statement said. AFP

UNDERSTANDING THE NEW CORONAVIRUS

EARLIER this week, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of a new coronavirus a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. This formal declaration, invoked only for the sixth time, is made during “an extraordinary event” which poses a threat to public health in different countries and which “potentially require a coordinated international response.” True to the spirit of collaboration and cooperation in science, the worldwide scientific community was quick to begin sharing information with the goal of finding a way to control the spread of the disease and help those infected. While the virus was discovered only in late December 2019, scientists already know a lot about it in a matter of weeks. Given how even preprints of studies usually take months of painstaking research and back and forth between different researchers, the amount of data we already have about the virus this early is impressive. It is also important and life-saving.

So, what do we know so far? First, we know that the current outbreak is caused by a coronavirus. Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that can infect animals such as humans and birds. Coronaviruses get their name from their appearance of having “crowns” or “halos” when viewed under specialized microscopes called electron microscopes. Viruses are not easily seen under the usual optical microscope in most laboratories. When placed next to bacteria, viruses are generally a lot smaller. Most viruses are too small for the microscopes we use to look at bacteria or animal cells. Most scientists do not consider viruses alive. That is because viruses do not pass several of the criteria for something to be alive. Instead, viruses are just bits of genes packaged inside a protein casing. In the case of coronaviruses, their genes are made of molecules called RNA and their protein casing gives them the appearance of having “crowns”. Viruses are able to spread only because they can hijack living cells, making those cells make more copies of the virus so that the virus can spread to even more cells. There are many different kinds of coronavirus. They range from common strains that cause milder symptoms

like common cold, to rarer forms like the ones that caused Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which caused the outbreak in late 2002 to early 2003. The new coronavirus responsible for the current outbreak causes pneumonia, which can result in difficulty breathing and, in the worst cases, could lead to death. Identifying the type of coronavirus causing a particular disease requires advanced techniques and a copy of genetic information of the newest types. Second, we know that the coronavirus causing the current outbreak is new, hence the term “novel coronavirus.” Designated 2019-nCoV, this novel coronavirus began infecting humans only late last year. Scientists also think that this new coronavirus likely came from bats. Like the coronavirus that caused SARS, the new coronavirus shares a lot of similarities to viruses found in bats. As with the SARS coronavirus, scientists think there was another animal that allowed the novel coronavirus to make the jump from bats to people. This jump happened in the city of Wuhan in mainland China. This is the reason why Wuhan and surrounding areas have found the highest rates of infection of the virus. While scientists have made great

strides in understanding 2019-nCoV in the short amount of time between now and the first human infection, there are still some very important questions to be answered in the coming days. One of these questions is how quickly the virus can be spread from one person to another. Another question is how doctors can help patients already infected by the virus. Unfortunately, there are no vaccines or antiviral drugs approved for the prevention or treatment of infection due to coronavirus. Because they are not made of living cells like bacteria, viruses like 2019-nCoV cannot be killed by antibiotics. The only way for an infected person to recover is for their immune system to fight the virus. While the scientists are working hard at containing the spread of this new virus, it is important to note that the best way to protect ourselves against infection is just the basics. Always wash your hands, and do it with soap and running water. Eat foods that help strengthen your immune system. After all, we always live with viruses and other harmful agents that can potentially kill us. The flu virus, for example, kills tens of thousands every year. May the unfortunate spread of this new coronavirus wake us up into always being alert about our health.

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Standard

TODAY

Republic of the Philippines GOVERNMENT SERVICE INSURANCE SYSTEM GSIS Building, Financial Center, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City 1308

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor / Jimbo Gulle, Issue Editor

World

UN CALLS FOR LIBYA MERC WITHDRAWAL

EW YORK—The United Kingdom sent its fellow Security Council members an amended draft resolution on Libya Friday, calling for the withdrawal of mercenaries from the country, according to the text, seen by AFP.

The draft expresses the Council's "concern over the growing involvement of mercenaries in Libya," despite commitments made on January 19 at an international summit in Berlin, including "ceasing all support for and withdrawing all armed mercenary personnel." The text also urged all member states "not to intervene in the conflict or take measures that exacerbate the conflict." According to diplomats, Russia strongly opposes any mention of mercenaries in the text. No date has yet been set for a vote on the resolution. Libya has been mired in chaos since a 2011 NATO-backed upris-

ing that killed longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi, with two rival administrations vying for power. The conflict deepened last year when military strongman Khalifa Haftar, who controls much of the south and east of Libya, launched an assault in April to seize Tripoli, the base of the UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA). Haftar has the backing of Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Russia while the GNA is supported by Qatar and Turkey. The first version of the British draft, dated January 24, contained no mention of armed foreign fighters. AFP

CHILD’S PLAY. A boy looks on as he holds a makeshift gun as the Regional Coordinator of Community Authorities (CRAC-PF) community police force teaches a group of children how to use weapons, at a basketball court in the village of Ayahualtempan, Guerrero State, Mexico, on Saturday. The CRAC-PF vigilante group trains children as young as five so they can protect themselves from drug-related criminals groups operating in the area. AFP

GENERAL GUIDELINES: 1.

Disposal of GSIS Investment Properties – Retail Units (IP-RUs) is through a competitive public bidding process. Acceptance of Purchase Offers shall start on the scheduled bidding date and time.

Dropping of bid envelopes will be on the date of bidding from 8:30 AM to 10:00 AM only. Opening of Bids will immediately follow. Late bid envelopes will not be accepted.

Disposal of GSIS IP-RUs is on an “As-Is, Where-is” basis. Interested bidders are enjoined to personally inspect the GSIS IP-RUs for sale. “As-Is, Where-Is” is defined as the present physical condition of the retail unit that GSIS is selling and the buyer is buying, “with all attendant faults, if any,” whether or not immediately apparent and without any express or implied warranty. The buyer takes this condition at his or her own risk, without recourse against the GSIS as to their condition. This includes knowledge by the buyer of the presence of occupants in the retail-unit being purchased.

Strictly, “One bidder, One specific property” only, which means that a bidder cannot submit two (2) or more bids for one property. A bidder may submit one bid each to as many properties as he/she wants to buy, as long as, he/she posts the required 10% bid deposit of the total bid price for each property. The bidder must present valid government IDs upon registration on the date of public bidding.

Pursuant to Republic Act (RA) No. 10963 or the Tax Reform Act for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Act, the selling price of GSIS properties above PhP2.5 million shall be subject to twelve percent (12%) Value-Added Tax (VAT).

Purchase offers are only accepted through CASH basis payable within thirty (30) calendar days from receipt of the Notice of Approval of Sale (NOAS), without privilege of extension.

A. B.

He/she participated in actual bidding and Inserted the two (2) proofs of occupancy inside his/her bid envelope as indicated in Number 9 of these guidelines

13. If the occupant will exercise his/her Right to Match the offer of the declared highest bidder, he/she shall adjust his/her initial deposit based on the bid amount of the declared highest bidder. He/she must also pay the adjusted deposit on the day of bidding. 14. The declared highest/winning bidder shall submit within fourteen (14) calendar days of the actual bidding, the following documents: A.

If the winning bidder is an individual, a. duly accomplished Personal Profile (with attached recent two (2) pieces of 2x2 b. ID pictures of the winning bidder) photocopies of two (2) valid IDs (at least one should be a government-issued ID) If the winning bidder is a corporate entity or partnership, a. duly accomplished Company/Corporate Profile b. Registration Certificate from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) c. Articles of Incorporation (if corporation), Articles of Partnership (if partnership), General Information Sheet, and By-Laws duly certified by the SEC d. Current Mayor’s Permit issued by the city or municipality where the principal place of business of the winning bidder is located If the winning bidder is a cooperative, a. duly accomplished Company/Corporate Profile b. Cooperative Development Authority Registration or any proof of such registration c. Current Mayor’s Permit issued by the city or municipality where the principal place of business of the winning bidder is located

A downloadable bid form shall be properly accomplished with the following data: A. B. C. D. E. F. G.

Date of Bidding Name of the bidder Exact address of property you are interested to bid Transfer Certificate of Title No. Mode of Payment Amount of bid (in numbers and in words) Signature of the bidder/representative

Bid proposal shall be written in words and in figures and must not be lower than the Minimum Acceptable Offer of the property. Should there be a difference in the amount in words and in figures, the amount in words shall prevail. Bidders’ deposit equivalent to at least 10% of the Bid Offer plus the 12% VAT, if applicable, shall be in the form of a MANAGER’S CHECK payable to the Government Service Insurance System.

10. The following shall be inserted in a sealed bid envelope: A.

ALL participating bidders must insert: a. properly accomplished BID FORM b. MANAGER’S CHECK payable to Government Service Insurance System representing deposit equivalent to at least 10% of the Bid Offer plus 12% VAT, if applicable.

If the bidder is being represented by an authorized representative, a corresponding Special Power of Attorney (SPA) must also be included

If the bidder is the occupant of the subject property, two (2) proofs of occupancy must also be inserted. These are: a. Barangay certificate that the bidder is occupying or residing in the subject property; and b. Valid Government Issued ID with an address showing that the bidder is currently residing in the subject property, or the Latest Billing Statement under the Bidder’s Name that shows he/she is currently residing in the subject property.

15. A Notice of Approval of Sale (NOAS) shall be issued to the highest/winning bidder on the day of bidding. The Bidder’s deposit of the other non-winning bidder/s shall be returned immediately. 16. The deposit equivalent to at least ten percent (10%) of the Bid Offer plus 12% VAT. The 90% balance of the bid amount plus 12% VAT shall be paid either in cash or in manager’s check within thirty (30) calendar days from receipt of NOAS, without privilege of extension. Sample Computation: Bid Amount is PhP2,610,000.00 Deposit - (10% of PhP2,610,000.00) + 12% = Balance - (90% of PhP2,610,000.00) + 12% =

PhP 261,000.00 + 31,320.00 = PhP292,320.00 PhP2,349,000.00 + 281,880.00 = PhP2,630,880.00

17. Non-compliance with the terms and conditions stated in the NOAS will result in the forfeiture of the bidder’s total deposit. 18. In case the highest/winning bidder fails to comply with the requirements within the specified time, the said NOAS shall be deemed automatically revoked and the highest/ winning bidder shall be informed in writing. The second highest bidder, if any, shall be informed in writing if he/she is still interested to acquire the property. If still interested, he/ she must remit the required non-refundable 10% deposit within three (3) working days after receipt of notice from GSIS. 19. GSIS reserves the right to waive any formality or to reject any or all bids received. The list of properties available for sale may be updated without prior notice. For bidding inquiries, you may call the Real Property Accounts Management Department (RPAMD) at trunk line numbers (02) 8479-3600, and (02) 7976-4900 local numbers 3228, 3374, and 3396. Revised dated January 31, 2020

Revised dated January 31, 2020

CERTIFICATION I/We certify that the information given and any or all statements made herein are true, correct, complete and updated to the best of my/our knowledge and belief. I hereby certify under pain of perjury that my/our signature/s appearing herein is genuine and authentic. I/We agree that any material misrepresentation or falsity can be used by Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) to pursue civil and/or criminal liabilities against me/us.

BID FORM FOR CASH BASIS

RIGHT TO MATCH FORM

I/We hereby certify that I/we have exercised due diligence by verifying all documents pertaining to the above mentioned property with other government agencies (i.e. Registry of Deeds, Assessor's Office, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, etc.) before tendering this bid offer.

Date of Bidding: Name of Bidder:

1) to purchase the property an "As-is, Where-is" basis which I/We have inspected the property including whether it is unoccupied or occupied, and as a consequence, I/We will take full responsibility in taking legal measures to eject the illegal occupant/s of the property.

PARTICULARS OF THE PROPERTY Block/Unit No.:

Lot No.:

Phase/Area:

Name of Subdivision: City/Municipality:

"FOR OCCUPANTS ONLY"

I/We hereby agree to the following:

YES

Are you the present occupant of the property?

2) to hold GSIS free and harmless from liabilities of whatever kind and nature arising out of any legal claims which may be filed by third persons involving the property. Once declared as the winning bidder, I/We will accept the physical and legal condition of the property without seeking assistance from GSIS and waive my/our right to rescind/cancel the sale and ask for refund of payments made to GSIS by reason or any defect therein.

Province:

TCT/CCT No.:

Date of Bidding: ___________________________________ Name of Bidder/Company/Organization: ____________________________________________________________________________________________

MATCHED BID AMOUNT

(amount in words)

Bid Offer:

PhP

12% VAT:

______________________________________________________________________________________ (PhP______________ ) (amount in figures)

(amount in words)

PhP

THIS PORTION IS FOR GSIS USE ONLY

PhP

BIDDER INFORMATION (Please write in BLOCK LETTERS

(amount in words)

Date:

PhP

Deposit (Managers Check):

Remarks:

NOAS No.

At least 10% of the declared highest Bid Amount less: Submitted 10% deposit in Manager's Check

(PhP __ (PhP __

) )

Required Additional deposit equivalent to at least 10% of the Bid Amount (Cash or in Manager's Check): (PhP

)

I/We the occupant exercises the Right to Match the offer of the declared highest bidder. Further, I/We hereby agree to pay the required deposit based on the bid amount of the declared highest bidder on the day of bidding. My/Our failure to settle the said deposit within the day of the bidding shall automatically cancel and revoke my/our declaration as winning bidder. I/We understand that the first declared highest bidder shall be the new winning bidder.

(Signature over Printed Name of the Bidder/Authorized Representative)

Remarks

12. The existing tenant or occupant or his duly authorized representative through a valid Special Power of Attorney (SPA) has the right to match the offer of the declared highest bidder, provided:

*** THIS PORTION IS FOR GSIS USE ONLY *** NOAS No.

2nd Highest Bidder: Page 1 of 2

CROPPED-OUT CLIMATE ACTIVISTS DAVOS—After a racism debate in Davos on the invisibility of African climate activists, Greta Thunberg held a press conference Friday with fellow eco warriors from Kenya, Uganda and South Africa to stress the importance of their voices. Vanessa Nakate of Uganda was at the heart of a viral debate at the World Economic Forum in Davos after she was cropped out of a news agency photo of young activists, including Thunberg, taken after a press conference. A 23-year-old graduate in business administration, Nakate was the only black person and only African in the photo shoot. She accused the Associated Press of racism in cropping her out. The agency said the photographer had modified the photo

At least 10% of the declared highest Bid Amount: ____________________________________________________________ Signature:

BID DEPOSIT 10% of Bid Offer:

WASHINGTON—Four US senators running for president paused their impeachment trial duties Friday to dash to Iowa, joining top rivals for a final weekend of campaigning before the state's all-important vote launches the Democratic Party's nomination contest. After a Senate vote Friday paved the way for President Donald Trump's acquittal of charges of abuse of power and obstruction of justice, the impeachment trial was put on hold, allowing all candidates to enjoy a breathless final 72 hours of campaigning before the Iowa caucuses. Polls show a tight contest in the heartland state, where former vice president Joe Biden this week has been taking his "Soul of the Nation" bus tour to all corners in hopes it will help him cross the finish line in the top spot on Monday. Former Indiana mayor Pete Buttigieg, who is running in the same moderate lane as Biden, is also on the ground, arguing it is time to turn the page to more forward-looking, galvanizing leadership. Biden, 77, "is making the case that this is no time to take a risk on someone new," Buttigieg, who at 38 is less than half Biden's age, told a crowd at the Masonic Temple in the town of Clinton, Iowa. "I would argue, this is not the time to take the risk of falling back on the familiar or relying on an old playbook that helped get us to this point," Buttigieg said. AFP

Bid Offer of the declared highest Bid Amount: _____________________________________________________

Further, I/we authorize and give consent to collect, store, transmit, use, distribute, disclose, share, retain, (amount in figures) dispose, destroy, and process my/our personal information contained in my/our record or any other form or document that I/we have or will submit to GSIS for the purpose of acquiring a GSIS acquired asset/s as prescribed ______________________________________________________________________________________ by the (PhP______________ ) Republic Act No. 10173 also known as the "Data Privacy Act of 2012" and its implementing rules and regulations. (amount in figures)

Property Classification:

BID PROPOSAL

11. The following information shall be clearly written outside the sealed bid envelope (mailing envelope).

DEMOCRATS RUSH TO IOWA FOR 11TH HOUR CAMPAIGNING

Page 2 of 2

3rd Highest Bidder:

(MS-JAN. 31/ FEB 1 & 2, 2020)

for composition purposes and later apologised, calling it a "terrible mistake." Nakate said she did "not want to talk about" the incident, other than to say that "it was quite a frustrating moment." "This is the time for the world to listen to the activists from Africa and to pay attention to their stories... This is an opportunity for media to actually do some justice to the climate issues in Africa," Nakate told reporters via video link from Kampala. She was joined on separate screens by Ayakha Melithafa and Ndoni Mcunu of South Africa and Makenna Muigai of Kenya, who spent an hour answering questions from journalists gathered Greenpeace Sweden's offices. AFP

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‘NCOV VACCINE WON’T BE READY BY MID-2020’

O MANUFACTURER will have a coronavirus vaccine ready for use before the middle of 2020, despite an intensive global effort, a biotech executive said on Friday. Stephane Bancel is chief executive of Moderna Therapeutics, one of several entities involved in an all-out international effort to create a vaccine as soon as possible for the deadly SARS-like virus, also known as nCoV2019, that has already killed more than 200 people. Moderna is working in coordination with the US National Institutes of Health, while Inovio Pharmaceuticals and the University of Queensland in Australia are pursuing alternative tracks. They have all received funding from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, an international body established to finance costly biotechnology research. But Bancel warned that “no manufacturer will be able to have a vaccine ready for the summer.” In a French-language interview with AFP, Bancel also described the technology Moderna was using in its approach. “It is based on messenger RNA technology. Messenger RNA (mRNA) is a coded information molecule,” he said. Moderna’s website explains that “mRNA medicines are sets of instructions that cells in the body use to make proteins to prevent or fight disease.” Bancel added that “once we have managed to master the technology that works on humans, things could go very quickly because it is always the same manufacturing process... for messenger RNA against the flu or against the coronavirus, it is the same method of manufacturing, the only difference is the order of letters that code the proteins. “For the coronavirus, we are

COMFORT HUG. Medical staff members hug each other in an isolation ward at a hospital in Zouping in China’s eastern Shandong province in this photo taken Tuesday. China faced deepening isolation over its coronavirus epidemic on Saturday as the death toll soared to 259, with the United States leading a growing list of nations to impose extraordinary Chinese travel bans. AFP

working with the US National Institutes of Health (NIH). They acquired the virus’ sequence from the Chinese government, then the NIH and our teams analyzed it to understand the protein structures, which are different from other viruses. “Our teams near Boston are making a vaccine now, and as soon as it is ready, it will be sent to the NIH which will carry out clinical phase 1 trials,” Bancel said in reference to initial safety tests on humans. Asked if a vaccine could be developed in time to respond to the epidemic, he cautioned that “the vaccine will have to undergo

several clinical trials. “The challenge is that it could quickly be given to millions of people. The responsibility for its safety is therefore very important. Even going quickly with technology like mRNA, no manufacturer will be able to have a vaccine ready by the summer, or even by the autumn.” Bancel emphasized that “the only answer now is public health actions, trying to contain human to human transmission as much as possible. “I think the biggest public health challenge will be during winter in the southern hemisphere, along with the risk that it comes back to the northern

hemisphere in the fall,” he forecast. “It is very hard to predict today if the situation will be serious in the fall or if the virus will have disappeared. “But one advantage of getting a coronavirus vaccine approved, is that if there is a mutation to another virus later, it will be possible to have a product available quickly.” In a separate interview with the European Pharmaceutical Review, CEPI chief executive Richard Hatchett said: “Our aspiration with these technologies is to bring a new pathogen from gene sequence to clinical testing in 16 weeks—which is significantly shorter than where we are now.” AFP

MORLEY LEADS UK PARTY FOR BRITISH SPLIT FROM EUROPE “GOD Save The Queen” blasted from the sound system Friday and fireworks lit up the sky as Brexit-backing Morley —a bastion of euro-skepticism in the heart of Britain—celebrated its belated split from the EU. “I am very happy. We were beginning to despair... But we have got it!” said Ann Lennard, 73, at a party in a rugby club in the town in Yorkshire, northern England. Morley voted by almost 60 percent for Brexit in the 2016 referendum, and hundreds of people turned up Friday for a night of live music, speeches and a countdown to Brexit at 11 p.m. (2300 GMT). “I have been waiting for this since 2016,” said student Joshua Spencer, 25, with a Union Jack flag draped across his shoulders and a beer in his hand. “We have been told three times that we were leaving and we are finally are.” He admitted some concerns about Britain’s economic future as its leaves the EU’s single market, its largest trading partner, “but I am happy that we can rebuild our British freedoms”. Red, white and blue flags were strung across the roof of the club, and the first

FREED FROM EU. A man waves Union flags from a BMW Isetta as he drives

past Brexit supporters gathering in Parliament Square, in central London on Friday, the day that the UK formally left the European Union. Britain ended almost half a century of integration with its closest neighbors in leaving the EU, starting a new—but still uncertain—chapter in its long history. AFP

song of the night was British singer Lulu’s 1993 dance song “Independence”. Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s address to the nation, where he promised Brexit was “not an end but a beginning”, was shown on a big screen. The party was organized by local MP Andrea Jenkyns, a member of Johnson’s

Conservative party and an enthusiastic supporter of Brexit. “Tonight is my big Brexit bash,” she told AFP. “We are in Brexit heartlands up in Yorkshire and everything happens in London. And I think it’s good to mark the moment by having something here.”

Morley is a contender for England’s most patriotic town, holding huge celebrations on the national Saint George’s Day in April. The market town’s noted natives include World War I prime minister H.H. Asquith and “Bridget Jones” author Helen Fielding. The main shopping street was decorated with small British flags, and Brexit voters voiced relief and satisfaction that Britain was finally leaving the EU. After the referendum vote, parliament was locked in years of arguments about how and even if the result should be implemented. “The last four years have been a right cock-up,” said Raymond Stott, 66. “I am just glad it’s all over. We will look after ourselves. We don’t need Europe.” Brexit exposed deep divisions in British society, and the country remains split. Local church pastor Chris Frost expressed hope that delivering the result would bring some closure. “It has really caused a lot of kind of disagreement among even friends. I think now there’s a sense of relief,” the 37-year-old said. “I am very happy that people can celebrate what they voted for.” AFP

AUTHOR, ‘QUEEN OF SUSPENSE’ CLARK DIES, 92 BEST-SELLING American author Mary Higgins Clark, known to her fans as the “Queen of Suspense,” has died aged 92, her publisher confirmed Friday. Clark was still producing a book a year at the age of 90, with her page-turners earning her a legion of fans across the world and even making her one of the top-selling fiction authors in France. “She passed away peacefully this evening at the age of 92 surrounded by family and friends,” publisher Simon & Schuster said in a tweet late Friday. With sales of more than 100 million thrillers in the United States alone, she achieved success in her 40s after a series of personal tragedies. Clark’s books have been translated into

35 languages and more than 20 have been adapted for television and cinema. Throughout her career, she received several awards, including France’s Grand Prix de Litterature Policiere in 1980, as well as being made Grand Master of the Edgar Allen Poe Awards by the Mystery Writers of America in 2000. “She was unique. Nobody ever bonded more completely with her readers than Mary did; she understood them as if they were members of her own family,” her long-time editor Michael Korda said in a statement. “She was always absolutely sure of what they wanted to read—and, perhaps more important, what they didn’t want to read—and yet she managed to surprise them with every book. She was the Queen of Suspense.”

In an interview with National Public Radio in 2017, Clark said the greatest compliment was “when someone will say to me, ‘I read your darn book till four in the morning’.” “She creates characters that readers can identify with then puts them in scary situations. Fans love it,” NPR said. Born in the Bronx, New York, on Dec. 24, 1927 to an Irish immigrant family, Clark wrote from an early age. Her father died from a heart attack when she was 11 and, with her mother struggling with three children, Clark was obliged to work from 15. She started as a hotel telephone operator and was then a typist, while still dreaming of becoming a writer. AFP

Mary Higgins Clark

‘DELAY FEB. 2 WEDDINGS, SCALE DOWN FUNERALS’ CHINA has asked couples to delay their nuptials from a popular wedding date and families to scale down funeral services to help slow the spread of the country’s viral outbreak. The appeal came as the death toll from the new coronavirus soared to 259 and the total number of cases neared 12,000 nationwide. “Where marriage registrations have been announced or promised for Feb. 2 this year, you are advised to cancel it and explain the situation to others,” a civil affairs ministry statement said. Feb. 2 this year is being considered a lucky date for wedding ceremonies because the sequence of numbers “02022020” reads the same backwards as forwards. Beijing, Shanghai and other cities had earlier decided to offer wedding registry services on the date, despite it falling on a Sunday when offices are usually closed. The ministry said it would temporarily halt marriage counseling services and asked the public not to hold wedding banquets. It also said funerals should be held in a “simple and expeditious manner to avoid gatherings of people” and the bodies of any victims of the coronavirus should be cremated as soon as possible. Staff handling funerals should wear protective gear and carry out temperature checks to avoid risking infection, the statement added. China has introduced drastic travel restrictions and pushed back the end of the Lunar New Year break—when hundreds of millions of people travel across the country to visit family—in a bid to contain the virus. Schools and universities nationwide have been told not to resume classes, officials have urged factories to delay their return to work and the public has been asked to avoid large crowds. More than 50 million people in Hubei province, where the virus was first detected, are effectively locked down after authorities severed transport links. Officials in Hubei announced Saturday that they would suspend all marriage registrations from Monday until further notice. Several countries including the US and Australia have barred entry to foreigners who have traveled to China in the past two weeks. AFP

PH FLOWER SHOW HOPES TO HELP INDUSTRY BLOOM THE Philippine flower production has the potential to become a multi-billionpeso industry amid the high demand in the local and international markets, according to a New York-based floral designer. Jerry Sibal, the New York-based events and floral designer who visited Manila to officially launch the first Philippine International Flower Show, said the Philippine horticulture and floriculture sector could spur economic activities, support small businesses, generate more jobs and increase export revenues. Sibal said this would be possible if the government and the private sector would work together toward this common goal. The Philippine flower industry has grown over the past three decades because of high local and foreign demand, combined with the expansion of the tourism sector. Data show that fresh cut flower exports posted export sales of more than $370,000 annually from 1991 to 2000. Production, however, fell short of the rising domestic demand particularly on Valentine’s Day, Christmas, All Saints’ Day and school graduation, forcing the country to import flowers like orchids and chrysanthemums. This is because local farmers and horticulturists need to build more greenhouses, which require big investments. Flower production also requires technologies and agricultural chemicals that are usually imported from other countries. Sibal said the PIFS will be held on Oct. 15 to 18, 2020 at the Philippine International Convention Center to promote awareness on the local flower industry and bring together representatives from various groups and stakeholders—from farmers, agriculturists and florists to end-users like hotels and corporates, government representatives, private investors and technology providers.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2020

Riera U. Mallari, Editor sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Sports

YULO TO RECEIVE PSA PRESIDENT’S AWARD

IG surprises come in small packages. Carlos Yulo provided one of the greatest moments in Philippine sports in the year that has just passed as the diminutive 19-yearold made history after winning the gold in the men’s floor exercise of the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Stuttgart, Germany.

The feat made Yulo the first Filipino and male gymnast from Southeast Asia to claim a gold in the world stage. It was a twin feat for the 4-foot-11 Manila-born gymnast as he likewise secured a berth in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Yulo later capped 2019 by serving as one of the leading lights for Team Philippines in the 30th Southeast Asian Games. He won two gold and five silver medals to help the host country regain the overall title of the biennial meet 14 years after first winning it in 2005. For stirring Philippine gymnastics to greater heights and giving the country another sporting pride, Yulo will be conferred with the President’s Award during the SMC-Philippine Sportswriters Association Annual Awards Night on March 6 at the Centennial Hall of the Manila Hotel. The young gymnast joins an elite list of personalities who were previously honored by the sportswriting community with the same award, among them include Manny V. Pangilinan, the multi-titled National University Lady Bulldogs team, billiards champion Rubilen Amit and

Carlos Yulo the first Filipino and male gymnast from Southeast Asia to claim a gold in the world stage.

Dennis Orcollo, and slalom racing champ Milo Rivera. Yulo’s historic achievement will forever be etched in Philippine sports annals and one that will stand the test of time, making no other person deserving of the award, according to PSA president and Manila Bulletin sports editor Tito S. Talao. Team Philippines recapturing the SEA Games overall crown of which Yulo was a big part, will be

recognized with the prestigious Athlete of the Year award solely given by the country’s oldest media organization during the gala night presented by MILO, the Philippine Sports Commission, Cignal TV, Philippine Basketball Association and Rain or Shine. The Athlete of the Year and President’s Award are just two of the trophies to be bestowed by the PSA on top personalities and entities who

made Philippine sports a memorable one last year. Other special awards to be given are Executive of the Year, National Sports Association of the Year, Lifetime Achievement, Ms. Basketball, Mr. Volleyball, Ms. Golf, Mr. Football, and Coach of the Year. Not to be missed out are the recipients of Major Awards, Tony Siddayao Awards, MILO Junior Athletes Award, and numerous citations.

MIGHTY-CREATIVE MAKES DUBAI FINAL MIGHTY Sports-Creative Pacific warded off a late, but spirited challenge from AS Saleof Morocco to eke out an 80-76 win and forge a mouth-watering title showdown with defending champion Al Riyadi of Lebanon in the 31st DubaiInternational Basketball Championship late Friday at Shabab Al Ahli Club in theUnited Arab Emirates. Renaldo Balkman, who suited up for Puerto Rico in last year’s FIBA World Cup in China, played like a man on a mission, barreling his way to a game-high 29 points on 11-of-16 shooting apart from grabbing five boards in almost of 34 minutes of action in the highly-physical game. “It was a tough game and good thing Renaldo carried us to victory,” said coach Charles Tiu. “We have to be consistent from start to end if we are to win the championship.” Like Mighty Sports-Creative Pacific, Al Riyadi experienced some scary moments before pulling off a pulsating 91-90 win later in the night. Mighty Sports-Creative Pacific and Al Riyadi clash for the title Saturday night with the former— backed by Oriental Game, Go for Gold, Gatorade and Discovery Primea—out to clinch its second straight international title after winning last year’s Jones Cup via a grand sweep. “I am proud with our players for playing with great resolve. We have already bettered our performance last year,” said Mighty Sports

Jamie Malonzo of Mighty Sports-Creative Pacific dunks during their game against Saleof Morocco late Friday at Dubai’s Shabab Al Ahli Club. (Courtesy of Patrick Arias Castillo)

owner Alexander Wongchuking. The team produced only one win in eight games in its initial foray in the annual tournament four years ago before finishing third last year. Former Gilas naturalized player Andray Blatche turned in his sixth straight double-double with 17 boards and 11 boards, while Mikey Williams scattered three triples for 12 points. Ex-LaSalle player Jamie Malonzo had only six points this time but wowed the crowd with another monster dunk in the fourth. The PH dictated the tempo the rest of the way after a fiery start that saw them take a 25-15 first

quarter advantage. But just as everybody thought the game was already sewn up after Blatche came through with a power play for a 78-66 lead with a little over three minutes left, the Moroccans rallied and made the game more interesting. The scores: MightySports 80—Balkman 29, Blatche 17, Williams 12, Ravena 7, Malonzo 6, Kendrick5, Moore 4, Gomez de Liano 0, Go 0, Belga 0. ASSale 76—Najah 20, Kourdou 20, Slimane 14, Arnold 11, Elmasbahi 6, Almahini 5. Quarters: 25-15, 44-34, 66-55, 80-76.

SANTE FITNESS LAB ADVOCATES WELLNESS AMONG PROFESSIONALS VERMOSA, Cavite—Santé Fitness Lab, a game-changing, one-stop fitness center that offers holistic training programs, as well as innovative recovery and sports rehabilitation, recently launched its Corporate Wellness Programs with the aim of instilling a culture of health and wellness among corporate executives. The Santé Fitness Lab Corporate Wellness Programs were conceptualized to offer top-notch facilities, expertise and specialized services systems to corporate organizations, companies and other business institutions. “We envisioned the Corporate Wellness Programs to benefit today’s busy executives. We realized that given the demands and stresses of work, health and wellness sometimes take a backseat,” said Clarize Lucindo, general manager of Santé Fitness Lab. The Corporate Wellness Programs are intended to benefit the business organization by promoting a healthier workforce since regular exercise and physical activity have been directly correlated to better mental faculties, stronger immune system, and higher energy levels among people. According to the American Institute for Stress, workplace stress is one of the leading health challenges facing business organizations. This can nega-

Santé Fitness Lab’s Corporate Wellness Programs allow participants the use of its modern gym facilities and equipment.

tively affect physical health, causing employees to stay home from work. Strong medical, ancillary and wellness benefits help to keep a workforce healthy, reduce absenteeism and boost overall productivity. Santé Fitness Lab’s Corporate Wellness Programs offer various packages suited to the different needs of businesses. For instance, the SFL Team Camp offers team building activities that are designed to foster strong corporate team

spirits as well as teach other key concepts about health and wellness and how to live a healthier lifestyle. Tasks range from fitness games to mindset challenges. On the other hand, there is also the Specialized Fitness Classes. This is a group set-up, specialized class that is conducted either at the Santé Fitness Lab or at the place of business of the company. Here, employees are encouraged to work to develop team dynamics, strengthen corporate culture while improving the overall health and wellness of the employees. Santé Fitness Lab’s Corporate Wellness Programs allow participants the use of its modern gym facilities and equipment. Also, General to Sports-specific Strength and Conditioning Programs are offered to the participants as well as active physical therapy services by SFL’s trained and licensed physical therapists. To date, Santé Fitness Lab counts De La Salle Zobel Vermosa, Makati Development Corporation, BAT Security, and the De La Salle Health Science Institute Alumni as its partners. To know more about Santé Fitness Lab, its training programs and facilities, and other upcoming events, visit its official FB Page at https://www.facebook.com/santefitnesslab/ or its website at https://santefitnesslab.com/.

IRVING HITS 54 POINTS IN HONOR OF KOBE NEW YORK—Kyrie Irving channeled his inner “Mamba mentality” by torching Chicago for 54 points on Friday as the Brooklyn Nets crushed the Bulls 133-118 at Barclays Center. Irving’s electrifying performance saw him shoot 19 of 23 from the field as he made his first 10 shots of the game before finishing it off with a dominating stretch in the fourth. “I hit a few shots in first half, so I just kept it going,” Irving said. “The Kobe mentality, and Mamba mentality, keep going, keep going. It felt good.” Irving also tied a season-high by making seven three-pointers on nine attempts for the Nets, who beat Chicago for the ninth time in the last 11 meetings. “I am just happy to be back playing the game I love. The most beautiful sound is just hearing these fans and having my family here,” he said. Irving produced his second 50-point game this season and fourth of his career. He reached 50 points with a three-pointer that pushed the lead to 123-106 with 5:33 remaining. He closed out his night with 2:43 remaining to a standing ovation. It was the third-highest point total for Irving, and the eighth 50-point game in Nets’ history. His career high was 57 points in 2015 with Cleveland. The Nets led 107-99 when Irving came back into the game with 9:14 left in the fourth quarter. He scored 10 straight Brooklyn points to expand the lead to 117-103 with 7:43 to go. Elsewhere, Nikola Jokic flirted with a triple double and Will Barton scored 24 points as the Denver Nuggets snapped the Milwaukee Bucks nine-game win streak with a 127115 victory. Jokic finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists for the Nuggets, who spread the scoring around as all nine players who got into the contest scored in double figures. AFP

GUARAN SCORES TWIN-KILL IN PPS SUAREZ TILT THERESE Gauran lived up to the hype, coming away with victories in lopsided fashion to emerge the lone “double” winner in the PPS-PEPP Fr. F. Suarez Cup national age group tennis tournament at the Villa Aurora Tennis Club in Cebu City recently. The top-seeded Gauran, 12, dropped just one game in three matches to rule her age group capped by a 6-0, 6-1 romp over unranked Khalilha Imalay then the rising star from Tayasan, Negros Occidental overwhelmed No. 2 Riza Coderos, 6-2, 6-0, for the girls’ 14-and-under diadem in the Group I tournament presented by Dunlop. Jonathan Largo, on the other hand, upended top seed Gerald Gemida, 6-2, 7-6(4), to snare the boys’ 14-U crown and share the MVP honors with Gauran in the event held as part of the country’s biggest talent-search put up by Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala headed by president/CEO Bobby Castro. Fancied John David Velez from Ozamiz City also hacked out a pair of thrillers to claim the boys’ 18-U title, repulsing Eric Longakit in the semis then thwarting No. 3 Venz Alforque via the same scoreline, 4-6, 6-2, 10-6. Other winners were Cebu City’s David Sepulveda (10-unisex), Juvels Velos (boys’ 12-U) from Danao City, Hans Cabellon (boys’ 16-U) from Pardo, Cebu, Nicole Villar (girls’ 16-U) from Laray, Cebu and Paula Uy (girls’ 18-U) from Cabatuan, Isabela. The top seeded Sepulveda routed Matthew Morris, 4-0, 4-1; Velos shocked top seed Renante Bravo, 6-2, 6-3, in the semis then scored a 6-4 (ret.) win over No. 2 Kevin Tabura in the finals; Cabellon wore down Longakit for a 7-6(5), 4-0 (ret.) victory; Villar held off Corazon Lambonao, 5-7, 6-2, 10-2; and Uy crushed top seed Mia Gemida, 6-2, 6-3.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2020

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor / Roderick dela Cruz, Issue Editor business@manilastandard.net

PMI WANTS CUSTOMERS TO ‘UNSMOKE’

EUCHÂTEL, Switzerland—A big tobacco company with a state-of-the-art research and development center by the lake in this Swiss city is doing the unthinkable. It is discouraging people from smoking cigarettes.

The Cube in Neuchâtel, Switzerland

Philip Morris International, one of the world’s largest tobacco manufacturers, wants its customers to “unsmoke” as a part of its transformation process that will eventually see it stop selling cigarettes one day in favor of smokefree products such as heated tobacco. “What we know is we are transitioning from a cigarette company to hopefully stop selling cigarettes. We don’t know when because we realize that what is funding our transition is still cigarettes. But one day, not so distant from now, we would like to finish cigarettes,” says Mário Moniz Barreto, senior manager of global communications and market activation at PMI. This corporate decision is seen to have a huge impact on the global cigarette market of over 1 billion smokers, including 15.9 million smokers, representing 14.7 percent of the population in the Philippines where PMI has a dominant market share. Of the more than 100 billion cigarettes sold in the Philippines last year, 67 billion were under are recognized as being associated with the development of smoking-related diseases. the PMI brands. PMI’s smoke-free products, on the other Data from the World Health Organization show hand, are designed to significantly reduce or eliminate the formation of these chemicals, while approaching as much as possible the taste, nicotine delivery and ritual characteristics of cigarettes, he says. These smoke-free products include electricallyheated tobacco product called iQOS with Heets, carbon-heated tobacco product called Teeps, nicotine-delivery system called Steem and e-vapor product called iQOS Mesh. Baretto says PMI has invested over $6 billion since 2008 in research, product development, scientific substantiation and manufacturing capacity of these smoke-free products. It established a $120-million R&D facility called the Cube in Neuchatel, which is home to 430 scientists, engineers and experts in 30 disciplines from 40 countries. They include experts in material science, consumer electronics, clinical science and systems toxicology. PMI received 4,600 patents and has over 6,300 pending applications on smoke-free products. PMI spun off Altria Group Inc. in 2008. In 2016, PMI CEO Andre Calantzopoulos announced the company’s ambition to “convince all current adult smokers that intend to continue smoking to switch to smoke-free products as soon as possible.” IQOS products Baretto says this is possible by making smokefree products palatable to smokers. “The taste is that smoking combustible cigarettes remains important, so is the experience, the aroma and the single greatest preventable cause of death the rituals. It has to have a taste that is palatable. in the world as it kills more than 8 million people It has to have a ritual which is also appealing each year. Around 80 percent of the over 1 billion to cigarette smokers. Otherwise, we will not smokers in the world live in low- and middle- complete the change,” he says. Baretto says under PMI’s “unsmoke initiative”, income countries like the Philippines. Globally, PMI products are used by 145 million out of over 1 billion smokers. Businesswise, the company’s transformation may not make sense, but Barreto says the company is sincere in making cigarette smokers switch to smoke-free products such as heated tobacco under the Heets brand using IQOS electronic devices. On why PMI decided to transform the business, Baretto says smoking is addictive and causes a number of serious diseases. “Smoking is bad for you because of the combustion and it is addictive because of nicotine,” he says. “On the other hand, heated tobacco products are, on average, 90 percent to 95 percent less toxic than cigarettes.” He says it is primarily the toxins and carcinogens in tobacco smoke, and not the nicotine that cause illness and death. He says that when a cigarette is lit, the burning of tobacco and other materials produces thousands of chemicals, many of which

Shopping Center Management Corp. president Steven Tan

STEVEN TAN NEW PRESIDENT OF SM SUPERMALLS

Dr. Nuno Fazenda, program manager for scientific engagement and public communications at PMI

smokers are encouraged to quit or switch to smoke-free products. “If you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you smoke, quit. If you don’t quit, change,” he says, quoting PMI’s campaign. PMI is confident about its transition to smokefree products because of the success of IQOS in Japan which has enabled nearly a third of smokers in that country to switch to smoke-free products. “If you look at Japan, no country has ever had such a strong and fast reduction in smoking prevalence where heated tobacco products already represent 25 percent of the tobacco market,” says Baretto. PMI now has factories that produce smoke-free products in Switzerland, Italy, Korea, Romania, Greece, Russia and Poland. Its electronic devices are produced in Malaysia. Baretto clarifies that PMI targets only adult smokers as the market for its smoke-free products. “These products are not intended for nonsmokers or minors. No minor should be using any form of nicotine product in anyway,” he says. There are currently 12.4 million IQOS users globally, of which 71 percent or 8.8 million have stopped smoking and switched to IQOS. It is present in 52 markets, and PMI will soon bring the product to the Philippines this year, according to Dave Gomez, director of communications at PMFTC, the joint-venture company of Philip Morris Philippines Manufacturing Inc. and Fortune Tobacco Corp. “We plan to launch and commercialize IQOS in the Philippines by the second quarter of this year. We cannot say the exact date because there are still some regulatory and legal requirements that we have to meet,” says Gomez. “The whole organization of PMI in the Philippines is excited with the coming of IQOS because we believe in the product, we believe in the science,” says Gomez. Gomez says while the formal launching of the product has yet to take place, there are close to 10,000 Filipinos who are already IQOS users. He says that with the passage of Republic Act No.

Dr. Serge Maeder, director of product research at PMI

Turn to C2

SM PRIME Holdings Inc., one of the largest integrated property developers in Southeast Asia, announced the appointment of Steven Tan as the president of Shopping Center Management Corp., the mall management unit of the company. This new position is a step up from his recent role as the mall’s chief operating officer, continuing SM’s legacy of retail innovation and customer service towards enhancing every shopper’s malling experience. “His new position underscores the rapid and dynamic changes in the Filipino consumer behavior. Mr. Tan’s focus on building meaningful shopping experiences consistently throughout his career prepares him for this next phase,” SM Prime president Jeffrey Lim said. Tan successfully led the launch of SM Prime’s premium malls including the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City in 2006, as well as SM Aura Premier, SM’s foray in upscale mall positioning, in Taguig in 2013. He has been the head of operations for SM Supermalls in both Philippines and China in his capacity as senior vice president and as chief operating officer. Tan acquired his Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Paris School of Management. He began his career in hospitality management in various hotel properties in Asia including Taipei, Taiwan and Shanghai, China before returning to the Philippines to pursue his career in marketing and communications industry.

AJINOMOTO OFFERS TO SUPPORT POST GRADUATE STUDIES OF FILIPINOS IN JAPAN AJINOMOTO Philippines Corp. through the Ajinomoto Scholarship Foundation announced its 2021 Ajinomoto Postgraduate Scholarship Grant that supports deserving Filipino students who require financial assistance to pursue higher education in the field of sciences. The Ajinomoto Scholarship Foundation, formerly named as the Suzuki Scholarship Foundation, was established in Japan in 1957. The postgraduate scholarship grant which was introduced in the Philippines in 2010 provides a full scholarship in master’s course at specified graduate schools in top Japanese universities including University of Tokyo, Kyoto U n i v e r s i t y, N a g o y a U n i v e r s i t y, Ochanomizu University, Waseda University, Kagawa Nutrition University and Tokyo Institute of Technology. The University of Tokyo and Kyoto University are among Japan’s top universities with the former ranking 36th at the World University Rankings 2020 list of Times Higher Education. The list includes nearly 1,400 top institutions around the world, measuring each institution’s “per formance across Turn to C2

UNIONBANK NOW POWERED BY GLOBE 5G

From left: Globe Telecom chief commercial officer Albert de Larrazabal, Globe Business senior vice president Peter Maquera, Globe Telecom president and CEO Ernest Cu, UnionBank executive vice president and chief information officer Denis Omila, UnionBank head for infrastructure and services management Ryan Acosta and UnionBank head of enterprise communication and collaboration Paulo Santos

UNION Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) has become the first Philippine bank to launch a smart branch that leverages world-class 5G technology for seamless connectivity with IOT (Internet of Things)-enabled services. Partnering with Globe Business, the enterprise arm of Globe Telecom, UnionBank deployed 5G-grade connectivity at its Dasmarinas, Cavite branch--the first of its ARK 2.0 branches--for faster speeds, higher bandwidth, and a more stable internet connection. Twenty times faster than other networks available, 5G technology will allow branch employees to connect 32 devices at the same time without sacrificing performance. Researchers say that 5G banking will take customer experience to the next level via augmented reality and virtual reality on

their smartphones. According to leading digital financial publication The Financial Brand, by combining 5G and artificial intelligence (AI), banks can better harness the always on, real-time data coming from devices, which will allow better prediction and anticipation of a customer’s preferences and behaviors. “Excellent customer experience will always be an important driver to a company’s growth and relevance. This is the very reason why we at UnionBank constantly innovate and improve our services to ensure that we offer nothing but the best to our clients,” said UnionBank executive vice president and chief information officer Dennis Omila. “Partnering with Globe for its revolutionary 5G network and connectivity is one way we

can provide a more seamless and efficient operations,” Omila said. “5G is an important building block in helping Philippine companies remain competitive in the digital age. This is the reason we are accelerating our efforts to deploy 5G, so we can provide more Filipino companies like UnionBank the chance to go beyond what the current technology allows them to do,” said Globe Business senior vice president Peter Maquera. Earlier at the launch of UnionBank’s 15 new ARKs--or fully digital branches--led by the pioneering ARK for Business, UnionBank president and CEO Edwin Bautista shared the plan to take their network infrastructure to the next level with software-defined and artificial intelligence capabilities.

Business

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2020 business@manilastandard.net

AJINOMOTO...

From C1

teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook.” As a global company food and amino science company, Ajinomoto aims to cultivate the educational development of prospective students who are interested to continue master’s studies in the fields of nutrition or health sciences. Aspirants may also consider applying in other science courses like Medicine, Engineering, Agricultural and Life Science, Pharmaceutical Science, Frontier Science, Information Science and Technology, Mathematical Science, Biostudies and such.

PMI...

From C1

11467 which hikes the excise taxes on alcohol and e-cigarettes, there is already a tax category for heated tobacco products and IQOS will fall under that category. A sur vey conduc ted by the Department of Health shows that 12 million or 76 percent of the 15.9 million Filipino smokers are interested or plan to quit smoking tobacco. Dr. Nuno Fazenda, program manager for scientific engagement and public communications at PMI, says the totality of evidence, which comprises PMI’s clinical data, aerosol chemistry and non-clinical data, shows that switching to IQOS completely, while not risk-free, presents less risk of harm compared to continuing to smoke cigarettes. Fazenda explains that instead of producing smoke, IQOS generates aerosol (vapor) that dissipates very rapidly. He says that while IQOs is not a risk-free product, “you will see levels of toxicants and carcinogens at a drastically reduced levels compared to what you see in cigarette smoke.” “We have very strong indications of the reduced risk of the product. The final answer won’t come in 20 to 25 years, in the same way that when pharma companies are launching a product, the final answer on the safety and efficacy will be coming in 20 to 25 years. But before commercializing the product, you can conduct scientific studies on different fronts that give you indication, very strong confidence on the reduced risk potential of the product. If we look at the totality of the evidence, there is a very strong and compelling case for the reduced risk potential of IQOS,” says Fazenda. Fazenda says PMI has been working on smoke-free products for a very long time. “This building [the Cube] was inaugurated 10 years ago, but we are actually working on science behind this on a much longer than 10 years. It is home to more than 400 scientists and engineers. We have biologists, engineers, medical doctors, cardiologists and pulmonologists conducting studies. We have chemists, physicists, behavioral scientists, clinical scientists. These scientific experts are required to look at different aspects of reduced risk profile of these products compared to cigarettes,” he says. “The underlying principle behind our smoke-free products was basically to heat tobacco at lower temperature [350 degrees Celsius], or below the threshold at which combustion takes place, in order to deliver nicotine and flavors,” says Fazenda. Dr. Serge Maeder, director of product research at PMI, confirms that IQOS was a product of a 12-year research and development before it was formally introduced in Japan and Italy in 2014. “In a tobacco company, developing a new cigarette was a matter of six months. But for this product, it took 12 years,” he says. “Our CEO André Calantzopoulos was dead set that we need to fix the product, we need to have a better product because cigarette kills. We need to develop a better alternative. He was really behind the effort and really understood that developing this product is not a matter of six months or 12 months,” says Maeder. “You can have the best product in the world in terms of reducing toxicants, but if you don’t make it good for people in terms of taste, you have no chance. People will never adopt it. Our main goal from day 1 is that unless we got the taste right and satisfaction right with consumers, we have a problem. We may have the best product in the world, we may claim 95-percent reduction in carcinogens, but if the taste is not right, people will simply not adopt the product. From the very start, we were always looking at these two aspects—get the taste right, reduce toxicants,” says Maeder. Maeder says PMI continues its research and development to produce even better products in the future. “You will see technologies rising in the next few years that are very different to achieve the same goal—reduce the risk of smoking. Compared to what we had before, it would be completely different in the years to come. If you don’t have the latest innovations, you might just disappear. That is why we have this building— research and development—to look at everything we can do to improve the current version of the product, but also what sort of other technologies we can

SIF AIMS TO BECOME FIRST PH TECH UNICORN L

Beer Below Zero founder Luigi Nuñez

UIGI Nuñez, founder of Beer Below Zero, is on a quest to harness the way you use your smartphone and change the way you live. This agenda doesn’t come as a surprise as his first entrepreneurial endeavor single-handedly changed the way the world drinks beer, cold as ice.

Innovators do not always possess the technical specialization nor the gray matter that would merit being called a genius. On the contrary, it’s more about ideas that reinvent certain things that were thought to be set, about looking at things from a different perspective. As technology continues to advance, being creative is getting more challenging to the point that the New York Times reported that innovators are now left making derivative improvements or less life-altering technologies. Nuñez, up until two years ago, was just like any consumer with a smartphone, using more social than e-commerce apps on a daily basis. When he got stuck on the road during a major traffic jam after going for a routine haircut, it was only then that he started taking a closer look at the potential of apps. “It was a simple and regular grooming trip and thought nothing of it until that turned out to be a loss of some three and a half hours for a sixkilometer round trip. That got me thinking about how the market takes so well to e-commerce sites - because they eliminate the travel aspect” he said. Having had extensive experience in advertising sales, Nuñez only knew too well the advantages of being a first-to-market brand and wouldn’t dream of being another trying hard late entrant in e-commerce. He was well aware, however, that there were other things that connectivity and convenience could lend itself very well, especially under threat of traffic. The common occurrence of traffic, one that costs the Philippine economy some P3.5 billion daily, gave birth to Luggin Digital Ventures, Nuñez’ app development company in 2017. The first project, now available for both Android and iOS, is SIF, a location-based services aggregator and provider that offers more than just one kind of service, a super app. Super apps, a distinction applied to products that are designed as a one-stop platform carrying various complementing function provides more revenue opportunities versus traditional one-purpose apps. International investors have already showcased speculation which took SIF’s value to $1.5 million, primarily because of how rapid it has grown and the potential to launch and expand in other markets. Such promise gives SIF the lead in possibly becoming the country’s first tech unicorn. He said that the inspiration comes from taking a look at the regular errands that would typically take the consumer out of the home and into traffic and creating a platform that put both institutional and independent services providers for various needs in touch with SIF users. What started out as a grooming and beauty segment grew to include other categories such massage, labworks, nutrition counselling, physical therapy, tutors and yoga. With the coming launch of other home-based yet important services such as SIF Home, SIF Pets, SIF Motors and SIF Food, this really pushes SIF as the country’s first local super app. Nuñez shares the appeal of SIF among his primary target audience of 18 to 44-year olds, “We knew the connected will be comfortable with using SIF, given that they are already predisposed to ride-hailing and food apps. Data showcases that the Philippine median age for the market is 25, right in the middle of our expected user base and that gives SIF such a wide market base.”

The numbers both local and global make perfect sense for Luggin Digital Ventures’ first foray into this aggressive industry. Studies cite that of some 60 percent of the Philippine population are connected to the internet as both data from the International Telecommunications Union and the World Bank confirm. Of this, sampling groups have revealed that some 90 percent have either searched online for a service or product to purchase with 60 percent of them actually completing a booking or service. Laid against a population currently close to 110 million, the numbers for app development and utilization are staggering. “The premise of SIF is simple, we mine for our customers what is today’s most valuable commodity, time. In a bullish economy such as our now, opportunities are abundant, investments are everywhere. Time, however, is something that we have a finite supply of, regardless of status. I believe this is the biggest differentiator for the next decade,” Nuñez said. The firm has also set its sights on key markets in the region, Vietnam and Myanmar in particular, given the huge potential of SIF and the ease of opening in traffic-stricken cities due to consumer demand. Future iteration of the SIF app will be designed to cast both live and ondemand content that will allow users to virtually attend exercise and other training sessions, still keeping them free from traffic via SIF Live, SIF Doc, SIF Law and a retail platform for complementing product lines. As of this time, physicians and legal counsels have indicated their desire to have a virtual venue that can take their practices digital and allow them to widen their client base. The inclusion of this feature will bring professionals closer to their clients while providing a larger number of users access to prohibitive medical and legal services. This alone promises a business opportunity for not only SIF but for the service providers who can cover more without dealing with the road. As it turns out, Nuñez is merely getting started in this journey as he shares that there are three new products for release this year, a gift matching app that acts like a registry for kids with a strong retail component, a job-matching one that utilizes analytics based on both sides’ needs and requirements as well as a funding platform that connects entrepreneurs with the investors. Innovators have a different way of looking at things and the wealth of opportunities that technology and a tech-savvy generation of on-demand consumers bring are ingredients for what will very well be a great pivot for Nuñez, from super cold hops to super apps.

DIPOLOG NATIVE NAMED DAVAO PLANT MANAGER CEMENT manufacturer Holcim Philippines Inc. appointed a new plant manager to lead its Davao facility which recently completed upgrades to support the strong construction activities in Southern Mindanao. Holcim Davao is now led by Samuel Manlosa Jr. He took over on Jan. 6, 2019 from Xavier Arul Kennedy Savarimuthu, who has been reassigned by the LafargeHolcim Group to lead plant operations in Nigeria. Prior to this, Manlosa led a project to improve systems and processes that yielded significant efficiency gains for Holcim Philippines’ manufacturing operations. He had worked as a process and automation expert for the LafargeHolcim’s operations in Southeast Asia supporting plants in seven countries. Manlosa had also been sent to Holcim Switzerland for trainings on advanced process engineering and cement manufacturing. A native of Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte, Manlosa placed seventh in the 2004 chemical engineering board examinations and graduated cum laude from the Mindanao State University in Marawi City. Holcim’s Davao City operations recently received a boost with the completion of new facilities that added 700,000 metric tons to its annual cement production. The Davao upgrades were part of a series of projects in Holcim

use in the future,” He says. “We are developing things that will mature in the next few years, for some maybe a decade. We already have this pipeline of things that while some people are working on the next evolution of device, other people are working on the next way to generate aerosol in the future,” he says. Baretto says everyone in PMI is on board the company’s transition journey. “This is a path with no return. The whole company, from the more senior to the junior levels, is fully invested in this direction of smoke-free future,” he says. “We believe that we will be able to make not only smokers of our brands

Holcim Davao plant manager Sam Manlosa, Jr.

plants nationwide that raised its annual cement production capacity to 10 million metric tons last year. Aside from increased capacity, Holcim launched in Davao last year its new blended cement product Solido, designed as a better alternative to Ordinary Portland Cement for roads and light infrastructures. The product was debuted there due to government’s heavy investments on road infrastructures in the region. Holcim Philippines Inc., which is listed on the

switch, but also the smokers of the brands of other companies. As we think that it is in our best interest, it is also in the interest of public health because we still have 1 billion smokers out there who despite all the warnings, taxation and restrictions, are still smoking. It is in the interest of public health, for those that don’t stop smoking, to switch,” he says. Baretto says the new direction also provides PMI employees additional motivation. “If you talk to any PMI employee, you will see that people are much more motivated to work because we believe that we are working not only in the best interest of the company, but

Philippine Stock Exchange, is one of the leading building solution companies in the country. The company has a deep portfolio of innovative solutions fostered by a full range of products from structuring to finishing applications that can help local builders execute with high performance and efficiency a wide range of projects from massive infrastructure to simple home repairs. With cement manufacturing facilities in La Union, Bulacan, Batangas, Misamis Oriental and Davao, as well as aggregates and dry mix business and technical support facilities for building solutions, Holcim Philippines is a partner of builders in the country. Holcim Philippines said it is committed to the highest standards of sustainable operations and manufacturing excellence with its plants certified under ISO 14001:2004 (Environmental Management System), ISO 9001:2008 (Quality Management System) and OHSAS 18001:2007 (Occupational Health and Safety Management System). It is a member of the LafargeHolcim Group, the world leader in the building materials industry present in 80 countries with over 80,000 employees. LafargeHolcim, however, signed an agreement with San Miguel Corp. for the divestment of its entire 85.7-percent shareholding in Holcim Philippines Inc. The process is still ongoing.

also in the best interest of our clients,” he says. PMI aims to substantially increase the share of smoke-free products in its total sales over the coming years. In 2018, PMI posted net revenues of $29.6 billion, 13.8 percent of which came from smoke-free products. Its aspiration is to make more than 40 million smokers switch to smoke-free products by 2025, up from 12.4 million at present. This will translate into an increase in the share of net revenues from smoke-free products from 13.8 percent in 2018 to a range of 38 percent to 42 percent by 2025. PMI also aims to increase the

shipment of smoke-free products from 42 billion units in 2018 to a range of 90 billion to 100 billion by 2021 and more than 250 billion by 2025. B a r e t t o, h o w e v e r, s a y s t h i s transformation would depend on government regulation of smoke-free products. “We are absolutely convinced that we have found something that is much better for current smokers, but we cannot do this on our own. We need regulation and the support of the public,” he says. “We want to do away with cigarettes. We want to transform our business into a more sustainable business,” says Baretto. Roderick T. dela Cruz

Tech & Gadgets

SAMSUNG DEBUTS MICROLED, QLED 8K, LIFESTYLE TV LINEUPS

AS VEGAS—Samsung Electronics unveiled its latest lineup of MicroLED, QLED 8K and Lifestyle TVs ahead of CES 2020. With the introduction of new display sizes, 8K AI upscaling capabilities, innovative display orientation technology, and more, Samsung showcased how its 2020 lineups redefine immersion and revolutionize home integration. “Consumers use screens every day to work from home, exercise from home, and even shop from home. As our lifestyles continue to evolve, the TV screen is evolving with them to provide consumers access to their favorite content and real-time information whenever and wherever they want it,” said Jong-hee Han, President of Visual Displays at Samsung Electronics. “As part of our vision of ‘Screens Everywhere,’ we’re thrilled to deliver a more vivid and connected at-home viewing experience by incorporating AI-enabled features and 8K technology into our displays.” MICROLED PIONEERING THE HOME ENTERTAINMENT MARKET Samsung introduced the home-ready, modular MicroLED, which combines next-generation screen technology with unprecented customization capabilities. Consumers are now able to personally experience how Samsung’s design and innovation engineering teams have reimagined the TV. With 75 -,88-, 93- and 110-inch display sizes, MicroLED models are suited for a variety of homes and lifestyles. The new 88- and 150-inch MicroLED models introduce ultra-slim infinity designs, virtually removing all four sides of the bezels for a finish that blends right into any wall. And consumers can also connect multiple MicroLED panels together to create new combinations and adapt their TV for their specific space. MicroLED displays offer best-in-class picture quality. They deliver greater depth, better resolution, and higher clarity as well as a peak brightness of 5,000 nits. They also leverage upscaling abilities based on deep learning to deliver the highestquality content, regardless of the source. The result is that these MicroLED displays provide an unparalleled sense of immersion for the at-home viewing experience.

New TVs target both home cinema and connected lifestyle needs with upgraded picture quality, sound, and smart features

THE 8K QLED LINEUP EXPANDS WITH STRENGTHENED AI QUANTUM PROCESSOR 8K AND DESIGN Samsung’s flagship Q950TS QLED 8K TV is the industry’s first 8K TV to combine a striking, ultrathin form factor, premium 8K picture quality, and impressive surround-sound audio. Plus, the Q950TS introduces the ‘Infinity Screen,’ which produces a screen-to-body ratio of 99 percent to create an unprecedented viewing experience. With stunning 8K resolution, the Q950TS delivers the best LCD picture quality on the market. Equipped with the AI Quantum Processor 8K, it has built-in 8K AI upscaling and deep-learning capabilities that can automatically upscale non-8K content to pristine and true-to-life 8K resolution. With a feature called Adaptive Picture, it can also optimize the screen to both ambient conditions and individual images. And the AI Quantum Processor—the powerhouse behind the flagship display—is also helping to power Samsung’s open smart home platform, Tizen, enabling users to experience everything from enhanced picture quality to heightened usability to other connected home functions. Further supporting the picture quality and design enhancements of the QLED 8K lineup, the 8K ecosystem continues to expand to provide seamless playback for 8K content from providers like YouTube. The adoption of AV1 codec allows for better compression rates, and enables the support of HDR10+ technology, image dimensionality,

brightness optimization, and contrast ratio. And building off of the picture quality ampliﬁcation are the QLED 8K’s premium sound features —Q-Symphony, Object Tracking Sound+ (OTS+), and Active Voice Ampliﬁer. These features maximize immersive sound by delivering dimensional and dynamic audio that corresponds with large screen viewing experiences. And when paired with the CTA “Best of Innovation”-winning HQ-Q800T soundbar, the TV’s speakers sync with the soundbar to serve as an additional audio channel and create a more dynamic soundscape. Lifestyle TV “The Sero” expands display possibilities across the global market Samsung is also growing its portfolio of Lifestyle TVs with an expanded rollout of The Sero. The Sero, which means “vertical” in Korean, has the ability to pivot between horizontal and vertical orientations— just like a smartphone or tablet. Following its initial rollout in South Korea last year, Samsung is set to expand The Sero’s availability to several global markets in 2020 . The Sero’s display orientation technology connects seamlessly with users’ mobile devices to smoothly and naturally display content in traditional horizontal formats, as well as vertical formats designed for mobile consumption. Consumers can expect to enjoy a variety of content—including social media, YouTube and other personal videos—in whatever display orientation mirrors their mobile device.

RECORD-BREAKING 2019 SALES FOR LG SEOUL—LG Electronics Inc. (LG) today announced another record breaking sales year with revenues of KRW 62.3 trillion (USD 53.0 billion) in 2019, reflecting strong demand for premium home appliances such as LG SIGNATURE and high-growth, category-creating products. Full-year operating profits of KRW 2.44 trillion (USD 2.07 billion) were strong again in 2019 although 10 percent lower than 2018 due to increased investments in marketing and future technologies. Fourth-quarter 2019 revenues of KRW 16.06 trillion (USD 13.65 billion) were 1.8 percent higher than the same period in 2018 and 2.3 percent higher than the previous quarter while quarterly operating income of KRW 101.8 billion (USD 86.5 million) was a sound 34.5 percent higher than the final quarter of 2018. The LG Home Appliance & Air Solution Company had a strong

year, reporting record full-year 2019 revenues of KRW 21.52 trillion (USD 18.29 billion), an 11 percent increase from the previous year, and operating proﬁt of KRW 2 trillion (USD 1.7 billion), its highest in history. Quarterly sales of KRW 4.62 trillion (USD 3.92 billion)—the highest fourth quarter in the company’s history—were nearly 7 percent above the same period the previous year due to healthy demand in North America and Europe while operating income of KRW 122.2 billion (103.86 million) increased 8.5 percent from the same period 2018.

The LG Home Entertainment Company reported full-year revenues of KRW 16.15 trillion (USD 13.73 billion), relatively unchanged from 2018 while operating income of KRW 980 billion (USD 833 million) declined from the previous year. Fourthquarter 2019 sales of KRW 4.59 trillion (USD 3.90 billion) remained unchanged from the same period of 2018 and 18.7 percent higher than the previous quarter, resulting in an operating income of KRW 110 billion (USD 93.5 million) due in large part to increased marketing costs. The LG Mobile Communications Company recorded 2019 revenues of KRW 5.97 trillion (USD 5.07 billion). Fourth-quarter sales of KRW 1.32 trillion (USD 1.12 billion) declined from the same period a year earlier due to sluggish sales of masstier smartphones in overseas markets. A full-year operating loss of totaled KRW 1.01 trillion (USD 858.34 mil-

lion) reflected increased marketing expenses to support flagship devices. LG’s 2020 mobile business improvement strategy hinges on the introduction of new mid to premium 5G smartphones and continued costefficiency efforts. The LG Vehicle Component Solutions Company reported solid full-year 2019 revenues of KRW 5.47 trillion (USD 4.65 billion), a 27 percent increase from 2018 and the highest annual sales in the company’s history. Quarterly revenues of KRW 1.36 trillion (USD 1.15 billion) were 3 percent lower than the fourth quarter of 2018 as a result of slower auto sales. Despite a 2019 operating loss of KRW 194.9 billion (USD 165.6 million), the company expects to benefit from additional cost competitiveness and enhanced profitability as the electronic vehicle market continues to expand in 2020 in response to stronger European environmental regulations.

ACER DONATES 42 PERSONAL COMPUTERS TO MANILA LEADING ICT company Acer recently signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the City of Manila for the donation of 42 desktop computers to Manila’s public libraries in support of Mayor Isko Moreno’s Digital Literacy for All project. The project advocates that every person deserves the opportunity to learn the digital skills that will be relevant in their workplace and daily life. Under the project, Mayor Isko has also provided spaces inside public libraries for Manileños to do group discussions, meetings, and other collaborative engagements. “It is an honor for Acer to partner with the City of Manila in promoting access to quality education. We are proud of Mayor Isko Moreno’s efforts to make digital education more accessible to Manileños and provide opportunities for growth and development through this partnership,” said Acer Philippines Inc. Managing Director, Mr. Manuel Wong. “When I was a councilor way back 1998, I established a computer learning center even though I know that Internet resources were limited. I am backed with this hope that technology will soon catch up and be vital for acquiring knowledge,” said Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno. “I am glad I carried this vision over when I became a Vice Mayor and now the Mayor of Manila City. With Acer, I am grateful that better computer and library facilities become more accessible to Manileños,” the Mayor continued. Under the agreement, 42 Acer desktop units will be distributed in 11 Manila City public libraries. These libraries include Manila-Sacramento Friendship Library

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno hands over a certificate of appreciation to Acer PH Managing Director Manuel Wong

(5 computers), San Nicolas Public Library (4 computers), Tondo Public Library (4 computers), Valeriano E. Fugoso Library (4 computers), Main library Ref. Division (8 computers), Kapitan Isidro Mendoza Public Library (2 computers), Dapitan Complex Library (2 computers), Arsenio H. Lacson Public Library

(3 computers), Bacood Public Library (4 computers), Patricia Public Library (2 computers) and ManilaSan Francisco Friendship Library (4 computers). Visit Acer’s Ofﬁcial Social Media Pages for more details: Facebook–@AcerPH, Instagram–@acerph, Twitter–@acerphils, www.acer.com.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2020 rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

SEA GAMES...

From C4

ceremonies—resulting in techdriven productions that were perfect in execution, with mind-boggling visual displays and dramatic overhead shots that provided worldclass entertainment for all. Mart Miranda, CEO of Video Sonic and co-founder / president of IMMRSV Asia says immersive technology creates modern day magic. And it has a lot of applications. Museum exhibits, for example, can bring historical figures to life through augmented reality. Julius Caesar can speak and tell his version of the Ides of March to students. Prehistoric animals can roam the premises so guests can measure their height against them. Theme parks can amp up the excitement and overall experience with headsets and touchscreen magic. “In fact, any one and anything can use immersive technology to achieve any desired effect,” said Miranda, whose IMMRSV firm recreated Hogwarts using immersive technology for a Harry Potter-themed party. Sporting events have been ahead of the curve in embracing immersive technology, Miranda shared. “That’s because sports fans demand highimpact effects so they can better listen, watch and experience the action. New immersive technologies and apps have changed the ways that fans interact with teams, players and brand sponsors. Opening ceremonies of sports events have all benefited from immersive technology.” “We have the creative vision, the talent, technology and equipment to achieve something local audiences have never seen. We can fuse existing technologies and creative approaches to create amazing, magical effects. Trust the innate art and capability of the Filipino. And trust the forward vision of our creative and production talents,” added Tony Gloria. Now is the time to embrace these new mediums and let the world know that immersive domes, projection mapping, virtual augmented reality, air scan technology, 3D animation graphics, LED Baton, digital graffiti, holograms, interactive videos, interactive touch walls, dynamic thoughts and laser mapping are all here to help deliver the perfect message, Miranda concluded.

HOME CREDIT...

From C4

4. Have a splurge budget. This sounds counter-intuitive, but it’s actually helpful in the long run. Limiting your spending too much can backfire and make you more prone to sudden overspending so make sure to give yourself room to breathe and enjoy. The secret is to set the right amount that you can actually spend on recreation. To do this, take out the cost you need to cover your basic expenses and the amount you want to save. You can use what’s left on yourself. 5. Be smart in managing your cash flow. Sometimes, emergency situations will require you to touch your savings. Did an important household appliance breakdown? Do you suddenly need to shell out a big amount for something? In cases like this, what you can do is to consider other options that can help you afford things without draining your savings. Cash loans and installment plans are a good option for this because you can pay the cost gradually. Reputable providers like Home Credit—which now offers other financial products like cash loans and credit cards on top of their in-store product installment plans—is a prime example of an option you can consider. It’s so easy to apply for their products, too! You just need to provide two (2) valid IDs and even apply to their partner stores or online. Processing of your applications won’t even take long— you just need less than a minute to know your results. So the next time you find yourself in need of some financial help for something important, consider to do it the easy way and #iHomeCreditMoNa! For more information on their products, you can visit their website or reach out to them via Facebook. Want a more convenient way to access Home Credit’s offers? Just Tap the App! Download their MyHomeCredit App in Google PlayStore, and get access to their products and offers wherever you are, whenever you want. Starting your resolutions is one thing, but actually making them successful is a different story. Follow the tips above if you’re set on starting a better financial journey this new decade.

TECH & Gadgets SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2020 Riera U. Mallari, Editor rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

VIVO S1 PRO: SMOOTH MOVES TO FLAUNT STYLE

S THE old saying goes, “the only constant thing in life is change.” These inevitable changes are most visible at the dawn of a new year—well, plans and predictions of these changes are at least. Incoming trends and styles call for a means to get ahead of the style game. Here are smooth moves and changes you can make to help you flaunt your style. READ UP ONLINE With the digital age looming over humanity, the word “research” is no longer purely associated with Science, technology, and “unreasonable” college professors. Research is also key in maximizing your lifestyle. What goes with what, which fabric is best for what season, and which clothes are harmful for the environment, are some questions worth asking before purchasing new items for your closet. FOLLOW CELEBRITIES AND INFLUENCERS ON SOCIAL MEDIA Speaking of following the latest trends, a way to get a quick fix of what’s hip and hot is following top celebrities and influencers on social media. These “fashion icons” work with top brands and designers so you would truly be updated on-the-dot through their beautiful pages. TRY OUT UPCYCLED ACCESSORIES Perhaps a prominent set of movements that swept (and aims to sweep—literally) the world were initiatives geared towards saving and protecting the environment. Amp up your OOTDs and complement your wardrobe with recycled accessories. Not only will these waste-savers be eye catchers and conversation starters, it can be a small step which inspires a giant leap in protecting mother nature. BANK ON THE COLOUR OF THE YEAR Having trouble deciding what color to choose when purchasing new duds? Go for the color of the year, classic blue. This year’s pantone color wouldn’t be difficult to mix and match. What’s more is that this year’s featured color elicits a feeling of calm and serenity— emotions sought for given today’s noisy environment.

The S1 Pro

LOSE THE WIRED EARPHONES With a seemingly endless churning of wireless earphones products that started early last year, why would you still want dangling wires getting in the way of your style? Exude a fabulous lifestyle by walking as if you were in a music video without ugly wires drawing away the attention that your stupendous ensemble deserves. GET A PHONE THAT EMPHASIZES YOUR LOOK After all the research and purchasing, all that’s left to do is to turn the world into a stage and flaunt your style. But what use would all the “ramping” be without a phone that not only matches your style, but also helps you capture all of you with flare. The Vivo S1 Pro is the perfect gadget to flaunt

and explore your style. Its lavish colorway options, Knight Black and Fancy sky, go with any and every outfit. To top off its eye-popping exterior, the S1 Pro also sports a magnificent diamond-shaped rear quad camera set-up consisting of a 48MP main, 8MP secondary, 2MPwide-angle, and 2MP macro camera that perfectly capture “OOTD” shots. Its unparalleled 32MP front camera on the other hand, will help you take the perfect selfie thanks to its stunning quality and its AI posemaster (a built-in app which guides users into taking stunning selfie shots). Manufactured by the leading global technology company, the S1 Pro also brings about maximum ease-of-use with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 processor and 8GBRAM/128ROM enjoyed through a 6.38-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED display.

HUAWEI MATEBOOK D15 A GAME CHANGER By Paul David Gelario HUAWEI MateBook D15’s three-fold feature of aesthetic design, innovative technology and intelligent experience is ready to disrupt the laptop industry. “Huawei MateBook D15 will be a game changer in the market,” Huawei Product Training Manager, Bryan Baculi said. Its aesthetic design sports a metallic exterior called premium metal unibody for elegance. “With our MateBook D 15, it will not leave any mark. So it’s stylish, sleek and bold,” Baculi said. The screen has an 87 percent screen ratio, IPS full HD display, 178-degree viewing angle, and TÜV Rheinland certified—a worldwide certification that ensures users’ eyes are protected from blue light. The D15’s innovative technology

Huawei Product Training Manager, Bryan Baculi (left) demonstrates the features of Huawei MateBook D15. Paul Gelario

features are predominantly two in one. Its charger enables charging for both smartphones and the laptop itself. Its finger print power function is the first to achieve such dual functionality as it can turn the laptop on and off while also unlocking/locking

simultaneously for only seven seconds. “We are the first in the industry. That is why this is a game changer,” Baculi said. Another intelligent feature called Huawei Share makes smartphones capable of sharing files by placing the smartphone directly on the right

side of the laptop’s touchpad. This wireless feature enables wireless file sharing with a simple drag and drop gesture and can control the smartphone using the laptop. All these features make Huawei MateBook D 15 affordable, while also having a premium quality. Huawei MateBook D 15 has a suggested retail price of P37,990. Pre-orders will be available starting Feb. 8 until 14 at Huawei concept stores, Abenson, Silicon Valley, and online stores Shopee and Lazada. Consumers, who pre-order will be given exclusive freebies like Huawei T3 ‘8, bluetooth mouse, and Huawei backpack all worth P9,990. Huawei MateBook D 15 will be officially launched on Feb. 15. “Grab your Huawei MateBook D 15 laptop when it releases next month,” Baculi said.

HOME CREDIT: 5 WAYS TO HANDLE MONEY BETTER NEW Year, new you. Every first month of the year calls for a fresh set of resolutions, money included. We all need a certain level of inspiration to craft up new rules for our finances, but their success boils down to our effort and dedication. Having trouble making your resolutions work for you? Read on below for your new money commandments and how to finally stick to them this 2020. 1. Be realistic. Targeting to pay off all your debts is good and all, but you need to be realistic to make it successful. When assessing the amount that you want to pay off for the year, make sure that you leave enough budget to support your regular lifestyle. You have a higher chance of making financial mistakes like overspending if you limit yourself too much, so try to find the perfect middle between achieving your financial goals and supporting your needs. 2. Have a purpose. Wanting to start or grow your savings ‘just because’ is good, but you can feel more inspired if you connect it to an actual purpose. Do you want to travel to your dream destination? Buy your very first property? Get a life insurance? Having an end goal in mind will give you a clearer vision (and better motivation!) when trying to achieve your goals. 3. Keep your money in separate accounts. Having multiple accounts can be difficult to handle, but it can also be helpful if you want to make it easier to manage your finances. Have a separate account for your savings where you can automatically move or deposit your money—and forget about it. If you want to have a clearer view of your finances, you can even create a separate account for the different things you’re trying to save for (property, travel, etc.). Want to be extra sure that you don’t easily spend your savings? You can opt for a checkbook or even simply leave your ATM card at home so you won’t get easily seduced to withdraw your funds. Turn to C3

SEA GAMES RITES DAZZLE THRU IMMERSIVE TECHNOLOGY THE opening and closing ceremonies of the recently concluded 30th Southeast Asian Games at the Philippine Arena and Clark City still makes jaws drop whenever the sounds and sights of it come to mind. The brave and colorful Filipino spirit came to life on stage, providing glimpses of our art and culture, our tribal roots, old society elegance, and modern soul. The impressive, mind-blowing visual images that constantly changed, evolved and defied the imagination, added a new dimension to entertainment. They enhanced the storytelling and delivered the message with both sensitivity and punch. Last December, another dazzling production kicked off the 500-day countdown to the 500 years of the Victory of Mactan in Cebu. The one-hour cultural show entitled “Mangayaw; The World of Our Ancestors” showcased graceful choreography, original music, and a captivating production of dazzling visuals. The Quincentennial Celebration aimed to highlight the heroism and importance of Lapu Lapu in Philippine history. What audiences probably do not know

is that the unsung hero of both the SEA Games and the Quincentennial kick-off is immersive technology. It can make everything magical and bigger than life. Captivating visual images that were constantly changing, evolving and defying the imagination added a new dimension to the viewing experience. They enhanced the storytelling and delivered the message with both sensitivity and punch. In the Quincentennial kick-off, Video Mapping Technology by IMMRSV ASIA INC. helped transformed the show from just great to stupendous. Immersive technology was the creative tool that amplified the action to retell and relive early scenes of Philippine history. Lutgardo Labad, noted composer and multi-awarded director of music and theater who led the presentation, said he was “completely swept away by the innovative technology of projection mapping”. “Before, props were firm and set with some finality in their tones and colors. But in my first-time experience of witnessing video or projection mapping, the texture

of the physical backdrop: floors, walls and ceilings, became a new breed of characters themselves. They accentuate the emotions and provide a dynamic engagement with the human characters.” “Immersive technology is a new tool that can turn any size wall, building façade, blank space or object into a screen that tells stories, teaches lessons, conveys information or evokes all sorts of emotion. It makes audiences act and respond to the events in a positive way because the audience becomes part of the message. That’s why brands, sports and government use immersive technology these days to kick off events, launch products, inaugurate places and promote tourism or mark special occasions. It’s the best storytelling tool,” said Tony Gloria, chairman and cofounder of IMMRSV Asia who also founded and chairs Optima Digital and UxS (Unitel/ Straight Shooter). “Using creative imagination with the help of 360-degree video, virtual reality and the unique application of sound, light and projection creates eye-popping,

Pyrotechnic show on three levels (stage area, stadium perimeter 360 roofing, and rear launch pad)

mesmerizing experiences. This innovative creative execution never fails to wow and send the message across. How can you forget something that you have been part of, or that became a part of you?” he added. Immrsv Asia worked on the notable 30th SEA Games closing Turn to C3

Destinations D1

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2020

Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor

manilastandardlife@gmail.com

@manilastandardlife

SARANGANI HIGHLIGHTS OLD WORLD CHARM

@MStandardLIFE

FREQUENT FLYER

SIA FLIES TO

BRUSSELS

SINGAPORE Airlines adds Brussels to its latest route network, offering nonstop flights from the Lion City to the Belgian Capital beginning on Oct. 25. “We are excited to launch services to Brussels—a city which is both an important economic and political hub in Europe,” enthused SIA senior vice president for marketing planning Tan Kai Ping.

Brussels, Belgium is an ideal hub for rail, road, and air traffic.

INTO THE WATERS. Kiamba's Tuka Marine Park sanctuary, surrounded by thickly forested cliffs, is known for its diverse marine life and clear turquoise water. (Photo by Marlon Martinez)

By Steph Llarena

OW can a province be the youngest and the oldest at the same time? In Sarangani’s case, it was where the Maitum Anthropomorphic Pottery or Maitum jars were unearthed. The jars have been dated back to approximately 5 BC The Glan Municipal Village showcases the local produce, cuisine, Adventurous tourists try out white water tubing in Pangi River. (Photo by Tito Santillana) to 370 AD, one of the oldest in the souvenirs, and tourist attractions of Sarangani's municipalities. entire Southeast Asian region and Employees Day, Flowerhorn and Mendoza y Pacheco. the Philippines. Now on display at leled in Southeast Asia.” Then in 1543, Spanish explorer But it was only on March 16, 1992 Betafish Show, and the Municipal the National Museum, the jars are described as “exceptional archae- Ruy Lopez Vilalobos named it An- when the province, then part of Village which showcased the local ological assemblage and unparal- tonia, in honor of his boss Antonio South Cotabato, was created by produce, cuisine, souvenirs, and tourist attractions of Sarangani’s Republic Act No. 7228. Sarangani’s old world charm seven municipalities. The Craft Conference and Exhiwas evident during its recent celebration of MunaTo Festival, bition with Cultural Presentations which marked its 27th founding displayed the intricate handday anniversary. weaving tradition of the lumad MunaTo is a Blaan term that tribes Blaan, Tagakaolo, Tboli, as means “first people,” as in the well as Moro communities Maguearly inhabitants who first lived in indanaon, Maranao, and Taosug. the province. Weaving demonstrations showPrior to its creation in 1992, Sarangani province used to be part of South Cotabato. Festivities for the 17th MunaTo cased the Blaan mabal tabih (Photo by Ryan Jose Ruiz III) kicked off with the MunaTo Run, Turn to D2

“This also represents SIA’s commitment to constantly expand our network reach and provide our customers with a more seamless travel experience,” added Ping. Subject to regulatory approval, the Airbus A350-900 with flight code SQ304 will depart Singapore on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays. The return flight, SQ303, will depart Brussels on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

SIA regional vice president for Europe Lee Sek Eng and SIA general manager for Benelux Richard Kwee launch the airline's flight services to Brussels.

According to Singapore’s flag carrier, Brussels’ unique geographical location makes it an ideal hub for rail, road, and air traffic. The introduction of the new route allows SIA to enhance the Benelux’s (Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg) connection to Singapore with non-stop flights from Amsterdam, Dusseldorf, and Brussels.

OUR TOURISM INDUSTRY’S STEADY GROWTH our successful hosting of I ALWAYS look forward the 30th Southeast Asian to meetings called by our Games as having been an Department of Tourism important factor in this because I know that there laudable surge in foreign is always something imarrivals. However, she reitportant which will benefit erated that firming up our our industry. sustainable tourism develJust the other day, MERCURY RISING opment program is more Tourism Secretary BernaBY BOB ZOZOBRADO important than hitting the dette Romulo-Puyat antargeted numbers. nounced that the counThe National Tourism try welcomed 684,063 foreign visitors in November last year, an Development Program for 2016-2022 origiimpressive 21.25 percent increase from the nally projected an 8.2 million total internaarrivals in November of the year before. tional arrivals for last year, and it looks like The double-digit monthly posting brought we will achieve such target, and more, as to 7,484,115 the total foreign arrivals from we welcomed our 8 millionth foreign visitor January to November 2019, a solid and sig- last December. All of us involved in our tourism industry nificant 15.58 percent growth over the figare now aware that sustainable tourism is the ures in the year before. The Tourism Secretary gave credit to the name of the game, and that we have to do our collected efforts of our country’s tourism share in making this possible. South Korea remains as our top source stakeholders, strongly backed up by government support. Sec. Romulo-Puyat cited Turn to D2

Boracay charms foreign guests once again.

Destinations

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2020 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

FRONT DESK

A ‘4-STAR’ TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE H

ISTORY lives on in the municipality of Palo in Leyte, with a larger-than-life bronze shrine commemorating the return of Gen. Douglas MacArthur to the Philippines during the Japanese occupation.

The iconic landmark MacArthur Landing Memorial National Park remains a popular tourist spot to both Filipinos and Americans alike. And standing adjacent to it is The Oriental Leyte, formerly the MacArthur Park Beach Resort, which has its own interesting tales to tell since opening in 2012. A few months after it opened its doors, the hotel was damaged by super typhoon Yolanda in 2013, and was then reopened in 2016. It’s a favorite accommodation in the Eastern Visayas region with its 129 rooms and eight stately ocean view suites, manicured greens, Asian-themed interiors, and delectable Oriental and Filipino cuisine. Other facilities include 13 function rooms, five videoke rooms, a business center, a fitness gym, three swimming pools, and a spa. The luxe resort hotel offers the Sentimental Journey which takes guests to World War II sites, customized tours for special guests, and butler service on demand. It is also the home of diplomats, veterans, and VIPs taking part in the annual Leyte Gulf Landing rites. But beyond the hallowed grounds, The Oriental also takes guests to the top spots in the region, such as Sohoton Cave and Natural Bridge in Basey, Langun-Gobingob Caves and Lulugayan Falls in Calbiga, Ulot River Torpedo Boat Ride in Paranas, Kalanggaman Sandbar in Palompon, Higatangan and Sambawan Islands in Biliran, and the San Juanico Strait Cruise. But aside from stories to tell and memories it holds, the hotel also boasts premium service and facilities as it has recently received a 4-star rating from the Department of Tourism, the first star-rating in the Eastern Visayas Region. The rating was based on the assessment conducted by the third party auditor and accreditation officers of DoT’s Central Office and Region 8 Office. With an accumulated 716 points, the star rating system indicated that the property has met the mandatory requirements of the Tourism department’s standards for premium accreditation.

MacArthur Landing Memorial National Park in Palo, Leyte.

The Oriental Leyte general manager Anito Lanticse (second from left) receives the award from DoT-8 regional director Karen Tiopes. Joining them are DoT-8 tourism officers Rina Apostol and Rodel Balierbe.

A view of Leyte Gulf from the 4-star Oriental Hotel.

Belmont bags 2 hotel awards

Belmont Hotel's rooftop pool and bar overlooking the NAIA Terminal 3 runway.

SARANGANI...

From D1

fabric, the crown jewel of Sarangani’s cultural resources, woven at the Lamlifew School of Living Traditions in Malungon. According to provincial governor Steve Chiongbian Solon, the festival highlighted the unique blend of culture, nature, and adventure attractions that Sarangani offers. He said the recent celebration was special because of the series of awards the province received in 2019. For instance, Sarangani was recognized by the Department of Tourism for having the biggest same-day visitor arrivals of 1,120,249 in the Soccsksargen Region for the fifth straight year. Meanwhile, Lamlifew Village Museum won the Outstanding Corporate Social Responsibility Project in Arts and Culture of the League of Corporate Foundations Guild Awards. One of the province’s top tourist spots located in Malungon town won the prestigious award with the support of ABS-CBN Foundation’s Bantay Kalikasan which helped craft the Eco-Cultural Experience. The fest also put the spotlight on the work of Bai Estelita Bantilan, a Blaan igem (mat) weaver of Malapatan, who was accorded the Gawad Manlilikha ng Bayan (National Living Treasure) through the National Commission on Culture and the Arts. Fringe events included the Pearl of Sarangani pageant which selected the province’s ambassadresses of goodwill and tourism, MunaTo Youth Day, Week of Peace, Indigenous Peoples Day, Jesus Reigns, and Tribal Sports, which relived the province’s traditional sports.

OUR TOURISM...

From D1

Airport hotel Belmont ended 2019 with flying colors as it won two major categories in The World Luxury Hotel Awards. The awarding held in Helsinki, Finland bestowed upon the Pasay-based hotel the Luxury Airport Hotel Global and Luxury City Hotel Southern Asia Regional awards. It was also nominated for the Luxury Business Hotel category. In 2017, Belmont was recognized as the Airport Hotel of the Year by the London-based Trav-

el and Hospitality Awards. The 10-story business hotel has 470 well-appointed rooms, Café Belmont restaurant, a fitness center with sauna, steam room and shower areas, a business center, meeting rooms and function rooms, an outdoor swimming pool jacuzzi, and a kiddie pool. It also has a rooftop bar overlooking the NAIA Terminal 3 runway, and is conveniently connected to the airport via the Runway Manila footbridge.

Stakeholders in the tourism industry hope our many sun-sea-sand destinations attract more foreign tourists.

of tourists, as shown in the November statistics which banner a whopping 37.71 percent increase over the figures of November the year before, while China comes in second with a 30.02 percent rise over the year before. Expectedly, the USA remained as our third biggest source of visitors but showed only a 4.46 percent increase over last year. Japan, at fourth place, posted a 12.58 percent increase, while Taiwan, at fifth place, showed a healthy 40.76 percent growth. Hopefully, our present Taal Volcano woes and the feared coronavirus spread will not be too big a factor to damage the 2020 yearend figures. Thank goodness the concerned government agencies are ably handling the situation, while we continue to pray that the current slack in international traffic will return to its normal frenetic pace in no time. With Those Boracay of us in already YOUR WEEKEND CHUCKLE the inrestored dustry to its I had dinner with Garry Kasparov (World are exoriginal Chess Champion). As a tribute to him the tremely allure, restaurant management draped our table pleased and our with a black and white checkered tablecloth. that our other It took Garry one hour to pass the salt! collecsun-seative efs a n d forts, destinations currently being rehabilitat- steadily backed up by our governed, I am confident we will bounce ment, have produced these favorable results. We know that our next back easily.

task is to see to it that responsible tourism, leading on to sustainable tourism, will be practiced by everyone connected directly or indirectly with the industry. That is the only way we can keep this momentum going. Fixing our eyes on this target, in spite of calamities we experience right and left, isn’t it MORE FUN IN THE PHILIPPINES? For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@gmail.com.

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat

Entertainment

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2020

Nickie Wang, Issue Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

MISS UNIVERSE PHILIPPINES STARTS SEARCH FOR THE

‘PHENOMENAL FILIPINA’

DIGITAL

3 IMPORTANT LESSONS FROM PLDT HOME’S NEW VIDEO CAN you imagine going somewhere far today without any internet? Would you stay at a place that doesn’t have wi-fi? Many people might scoff at the idea of staying offline for as long as a weekend, but there are connections you might miss out on if you don’t live in the moment. This is the story that unfolds in PLDT Home’s new digital short, about a young boy who goes with his family to the province to visit his grandparents for the weekend—without any wi-fi. The boy and his family eventually learn to make stronger connections during and even after the trip. Here are three important things we learn from the touching video. Nothing is more important than relationship within the family. The boy initially seems hesitant to go on a trip and to a place where there is no wifi. It’s typical of what we see among children nowadays—hooked on and engrossed in their gadgets. As it turned out, the young boy had the time of his life bonding with his grandparents. They were able to reconnect and share moments that would strengthen their relationship as a family. And in this age of technology, it’s a good reminder for us to cherish every opportunity to spend time with the people who matter the most— our family.

Miss Universe Philippines team who will groom the country’s next candidate to the world’s most prestigious pageant.

By Eton Concepcion

HE brand new Miss Universe Philippines (MUPh) organization, kicked off its official function of selecting the Philippine representative to this year’s Miss Universe pageant. Miss Universe Philippines 2011 Shamcey Supsup-Lee, national director of Miss Universe Philippines organization, led in the launching of the search on Wednesday.

Joining Shamcey during the launch were Miss Universe Philippines 2006 Lia Andrea Ramos, as head of Women Empowerment and Charity, and queen-maker Jonas Antonio Gaffud, as creative director of MUPh. MUPh promises to bring out the best of the Filipina and make her an agent of meaningful change, to help her build her self-confidence to become a woman of substance and provide a platform for the best of Filipino creativity and championing socially-meaningful advocacies. “We are looking for the right woman who is a leader, a phenomenal Filipina who is driven, and will inspire people with her beauty, charm, grace, ideas and causes,” said Shamcey. “Each contestant is expected to be an ambassador of the Philippine islands before, during and even after the competition. They will train to become role models, to pursue her personal and professional goals while leaving and inspiring positive impact in society. Yes, former titlists from other

The new PLDT Home video underscores how strong connection makes family stay connected amid the distance.

Shamcey with another former Miss Universe Philippines winner Lia Andrea Ramos

pageants can compete,” Shamcey added. Meanwhile, the former Miss Universe Philippines clarified that there’s no rivalry between MUPh and Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Inc., which used to handle the national pageant for Miss Universe. She said she will always be grateful to Jorge and Stella Araneta, the couple behind BPCI. “For me, to be a product of Binibini... I would always say that I’m still a Binibini, always a Binibini. And I am really grateful for the opportunity that the Aranetas have given to me and to all of us. We will not be here [without them], so we’re grateful for that. And I feel like we can still support each other, even if we have separate pageants,” Shamcey said. “I don’t think it should be a rivalry because what’s the point of having these pageants. We want to empower, we don’t want to look down on others or pull others down. That’s not what we are, that’s not what our direction is,” she concluded. The final screening of applicants for MUPh was on Feb. 1 with the coronation night set on May 3 at the Mall of Asia Arena. For information, visit MUPHfacebook.com/TheMissUniversePH/

Miss Universe 2011 3rd runner-up Shamcey Supsup-Lee heads Miss Universe Philippines, which in search of the new confidently beautiful Filipino to wear the Miss Philippines sash on Miss Universe stage.

Personal or ‘offline’ bonding matters a LOT Our main characters learn this as they spend the weekend at their grandparents’ house—the boy gets to discover the wonderful night sky he doesn’t see in the city, and his ate experiences the most beautiful display of fireflies she’s ever seen. Offline activities—the things that take you some time off your gadgets— can bring surprises and enjoyable experiences too! Digital connections can help bridge the distance Fortunately, as we witness, the young family in the video manages to find a way to bridge the distance between them and the grandparents. The boy’s mother gifts her parents PLDT Home WiFi Prepaid, which allowed all of them to enhance their bonding and strengthen their connections. Of course, this newfound connection stays strong after they come home from the trip, as the boy is now able to converse with his grandparents anytime via video call. One of the best things about modern technology, especially the internet, is how it connects people despite the distance. Thanks to innovations like instant messaging, video calls, and other apps, loved ones who may be miles away feel like they’re right in front of you— and when you’re with them, technology unlocks whole new connections that enrich your relationship. For more info visit pldthome.com/ homewifi. For the video, watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=44CkMsuwFXg.

HOW SCIENCE CAN BE EVERYWHERE

‘iBilib’ host Chris Tiu in a DIY punching bag experiment

IN TODAY’S episode of informative science show, iBilib, have fun as you discover how science can be everywhere. Join the cool experiments with award-winning host Chris Tiu, James Casero, and tween stars JK “Dekdek” Giducos and Vaness del Moral. For the entertainment side, get your groove on with the breaker moves of international Bboy champion Keith de Guzman and learn the science behind spins, footwork, and gravity-

International BBoy champion Keith de Guzman helps explain the science behind his grooves and dance exhibition.

defying dance moves. Satisfy the curious head in you by discovering the answers in these Street Genius experiments: Can you make boxing opponent with rolls of tissue?; What will happen if a hot water tank’s pressure is pushed to the limit?; and, Which

soda bottle will explode first when exposed to maximum pressure? For her Huling Hirit, Vaness shows us how to make instant banana mug cake even without an oven. Make your Sunday mornings more fun and educational with iBilib, only on GMA.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2020

Desiree Carlos, Editor

daycarlos28@yahoo.com

Pets MY FURRY BESTIE

THIS corner features pets of animal lovers every week. We hope new owners and those thinking of getting a pet will be encouraged to be responsible “furparents” through these features. We also hope more people will be moved to be kind to animals when they read about the great relationship that can be created between humans and animals. For contributions, please email to daycarlos28@yahoo.com and put My Furry Bestie as subject.

Danny, adopted puppy from the Marikina pound.

Jonathan is so happy to have Danny now.

SAVE A DOG,

ADOPT FROM THE MARIKINA POUND By Holly Angel Paraiso

FEW days ago, Johnathan Juan, a good friend of my daughter, asked us if we would accompany him to the nearest dog pound to adopt a dog. Of course we said Yes! We went to the Antipolo pound first. After we were allowed to see the animals, we went to the city vet office to fill out the paperwork. We were told they would not adopt out the animals because of the possibility of rabies. We were told the animals were in "quarantine" and "rehabilitation." This surprised me as I know the dogs are put to sleep or euthanized at the end of the week. Also, we had planned to bring the dog Jonathan would adopt straight to the veterinarian for check-up, and anti-rabies shot. We would have asked the vet when the adopted pup could be given the 5-in-1 vaccine against communicable diseases. We also asked about future adoption. We did

not get a reply. We then went to the Cainta pound. We were told we could not adopt a dog because "it stresses them (dogs) seeing people walk by.” This also surprised me. Does this mean being caught is less stressful than the possibility of being adopted? We were not even allowed to go near the cages. We then proceeded to the Marikina pound. We were immediately allowed to view the animals and were attended to professionally by the staff. We examined every cage of dogs, cats, chickens, rabbits, and turtles. I actually saw monkeys and goats there a few years ago. Johnathan chose a darling two-and-a-halfmonth-old puppy. He then went next door to fill out some papers and paid the P75 adoption fee. Yes!! He paid only P75! The little angel slept on my daughter's lap all the way home. Johnathan and his best buddy DANNY (named that because we were listening to Blue Danube classical music on the way home) are doing fine. SO, if you want to adopt a dog with NO HASSLE, go straight to the Marikina pound.

About the Author: Holly Angel Paraiso is an animal welfare advocate who encourages people to adopt aspins or asong Pinoys from pounds. She also pushes for better conditions in pounds for the poor dogs who were caught by pound staff or surrendered by owners. These include providing clean water and food even if the dogs will be euthanized or killed because the Animal Welfare Act of the Philippines provides that impounded dogs should be free from hunger and thirst. Holly, her husband and children moved to the Philippines about 22 years ago. They are all dog lovers and have adopted dogs too.

CHINA is an eight-month-old rescued cat of Wenwen Tamayo. “She came into my life when I visited a friend in Cavite. I was on my way home when this beautiful being looked at me. I couldn't resist,” Wenwen says. “I took her home. I slipped her into my bag. She gladly gave in,” Wenwen adds. “Now, China is eight months old and growing to be a healthy furbaby. She sleeps beside me and loves cat food and snuggles,” Wenwen shares.

HEALTHY HOMECOOKED MEALS FOR DOGS PET TALES

BY DESIREE CARLOS

Here is the recipe for EGGSHELL POWDER from Cromptom:

perature for 60 days. the ‘good bugs’ that live in your dog's 8. Always consult your vet when digestive tract, “ Cromptom stressed. planning and supplementing homePumpkin is also a good source of made diets so that your dog will get vitamin A, which is good for the eyes. all the proper nutrients.

OWNERS want to give the best to Ingredient: their dogs always. • 12 eggshells Food to soothe upset We feel we can do much more for stomach in dogs our furbabies, specially good, nutriInstructions: Dogs also experience upset tious food. 1. Clean and dry eggshells thorHere are two recipes to address your oughly (do not leave any egg residue). stomach. A mashed pumpkin recipe can calm a doggo’s stomach, concerns about your dog’s health. 2. Spread the said Crompeggshells on a tom in “Recipe Food for bone strength baking sheet to Help Dog A dog can benefit from a little and bake for 5 Digestive Disextra calcium to boost your dog's to 7 minutes at tress.” bone strength, says Kim Cromptom 300°F. “Dogs, like huin “The Bone Strength Booster for 3. Let the mans, are prone Dogs” in PetCareRx. eggshells to to icky tummies “If a milk moustache is the uni- cool completefor a multitude versal sign for healthy and growing ly, then blend of reasons and kids, then a pile of crushed egg shells thoroughly in a often withshould be the symbol of strong dogs coffee grinder. out warning. everywhere, “ Cromptom said. 4. If you do If your dog is “Eggshell powder is one of the easi- not own a cofexperiencing est do-it-yourself supplements to add fee grinder, you symptoms of an to any homemade dog food or dietary can place the upset stomach routine. Eggshells are loaded with cal- shells in your such as diarcium and small amounts of over 20 blender and set rhea, constipaadditional nutrients including mag- it to “pulverize,” tion, or intermitnesium, iron, sulphur and zinc that or simply put tent vomiting, a promote proper bone development the eggshells quick trip to the in canines,” Cromptom added. in a plastic bag Ace loves pumpkin in any way : mashed, produce section Cromptom noted that calcium defi- and crush the boiled, or mixed with meat and baked. for some pumpciency is one of the biggest problems eggshells with kin could do the with home cooked meals but “supple- a rolling pin. mentation is probably not necessary if 5. Please grind and/or roll the trick, “ Cromptom said. “Surprised? Turns out pumpkins can your dog is getting most of their daily eggshells until they are a fine powbe used as more than just Halloween calories from a complete and bal- der with no sharp edges. anced dog food.” 6. The simple rule in adding egg- décor – they are actually a great rem“Proper bone formation leads to a shell powder to your dog’s food is: edy for digestive trouble. When prehealthier and more active pup and add ½ teaspoon of eggshell powder pared simply for your pup, pumpkin this 100% natural recipe will boost per 20-30 lbs body weight of your can provide the relief and regulation your dog’s stomach needs. This popuand maintain your homemade-food- dog to their home-prepared food. eating dog’s bone health,” Cromp7. Eggshell powder can be kept in lar autumn squash can also be used tom said. an airtight container at room tem- to combat weight gain and improve

Here is Cromptom’s recipe for MASHED PUMPKIN: Ingredient: • pumpkin

Please make sure you do not get a pumpkin pie filling when buying canned pumpkin. The sugar in the filling is not good for your dog. It is always best to use fresh pumpkin. Cromptom shared these guidelines on how much pumpkin is recommended for your dog in a day based on the weight. Ask your vet if you can increase the amount • 0-15 lbs dog: 1-2 tablespoon • 15-35 lbs dog: 2-4 tablespoons • 35 lbs dog or more: 2-5 tablespoons Instructions: 1. Clean a small to medium size pumpkin. Remove all the dirt. 2. Cook the pumpkin at 375 °F for 45-60 minutes. The pumpkin should become soft. 3. Let the pumpkin sit for 5-10 minutes. 4. Cut the pumpkin in half, remove the seeds and skin. 5. Place the hot pumpkin flesh in a food processor or mash it by hand. We have been giving pumpkin to our dogs. We cut the pumpkin, remove all the seeds and the skin. Then we grate the pumpkin and boil it. The dogs love the pumpkin with malunggay leaves and a little meat in the soup.

SHADE was dragging one of her hind legs while crossing Blumentritt street when Sharon Bengson saw her. “She almost got hit by a vehicle while crossing the street,” says Sharon. “I followed her, then carried her home,” Sharon shares. “I felt really bad seeing her dragging her leg. Sabi ko, alagaan kita. Hindi mo na kailangan maghanap ng pagkain and matulog sa kalsada,” Sharon recalls. (I told her, “I’ll take care of you. You won’t have to look for food and sleep on the streets.”) “I brought her to the veterinary clinic and gave her vaccines and vitamins.. Yung leg nya, ganun na daw, sabi ng vet,” Sharon adds. Shade, now one year old, loves cat food and fish. She sleeps with Sharon too. “I love her to bits,” Sharon says. Editor's note: These stories were compiled by admin Miks Lim of Save Animals of Love and Light (Save ALL), a SEC-registered animal welfare group that helps animals in need, and encourages and promotes responsible pet ownership, adoption of rescued dogs and cats from fosters, shelters and pounds, and spaying and neutering of pets to control animal population in the country, among others.